Dante Price: Multiverse Jumper: Winter War Arc
by lostsoldierS636
Summary: Sequel to Dante Price: Multiverse Jumper: Rosario Vampire Season 1. Taking a break from Yokai Academy, Dante and Connor travel to the Bleachverse in its greatest time of need. Multiple Pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It was early morning as the captains of soul society met in the first division barracks as they discussed what to do about the recent betrayal of Azien. Despite their power, they knew that he managed to use the Hykogen to make more than 10 Arrancar, then soul society would be doomed to destruction.

The old man at the head of the room banged his walking stick against the ground as he said, "This meeting will now come to order."

The man in question was Commander Yamamoto, captain of first division and the commander of all the divisions in Gotei 13. He was an older man, with a bald and tanned heard, eyes that looked closed most of the time, with a long white beard and moustache. His most notable feature was a pair of scars over his right eye that formed an X.

Everyone stood at attention, 11 people in all, on either side of the commander as he said "as many of you have surely guessed, we are here to discuss the recent betrayal of former captain Azien."

Everyone's expression turned hard as the commander said that name. When Azien had revealed his betrayal and true intentions to soul society, it had caused a ruckus unlike anything that had happened in recent history, even when Ichigo and his friends had burst into soul society, though that was revealed to have been arranged by Azien as well.

"I'm afraid that if Azien has taken refuge in Hueco Mundo, and managed to gather enough hollows to turn into Espada, then attacking him would be impractical until we have more Intel." said Soi Fon.

Soi Fon was a short, petite woman, looking vaguely Chinese and holding herself with the air of a fighter, and arrogance.

"Agreed. We must learn more if we are to plan a effective response. What of Ichigo Kurosaki and his allies?"

Here Jūshirō, who had long white hair and a rather thin face, said, "They were taken by Yoruichi back to the world of the living. We received confirmation of this from Kisuke Urahara."

Everyone shifted while Soi Fon looked slightly disgusted. She had never liked that man, finding him to lax about things, but this had grown when he had convinced Yoruichi to help them escape.

"Has he given any Intel on the Hykogen that Azien took with him?" The commander asked.

Jūshirō shook his head.

"Very well. In the meantime, I want soul reapers posted in the human world in order to provide protection."

Here Tōshirō, a boy who looked around 12 or 13 with snow white hair, stepped forward, and said, "My 2nd seat officer and I will go."

Kenpachi, a mountain of a man with spiky hair and a eye patch, smiled and said, "I can give you a few of my boys. I think they'd like a fight."

Jūshirō stepped forward and said, "I'd also like to nominate my 2nd seat officer, Rukia. She spent time in the human world, as you remember, and may be able to help the group navigate the town."

"If…" now Byakuya stepped forward, a man with his hair held by some sort of hair ornate, "…that is the case, I would like my 2nd seat Renji to go as well."

The commander considered this, then said, "Very well. While the group is there, educate Ichigo Kurosaki and his group on Arrancar. Understood?"

Byakuya nodded. "Of course."

"Very well. Now, we must discuss on how to find Azien's base of operations in Hueco Mundo."

And that's when the real fun started.

_**VWOOORP VWOOOORP VROOOOORP**_

All of the captains paused at this sound, and looked around. They looked in the center of the room to see something flickering.

_**VWOOORP VWOOOORP VROOOOORP**_

As they watched, an old fashioned 1960's police box, blue in color, faded in and out, finally stopping and appearing solid as fog boiled around it. The captains reacted instantly, all of them beside the commander drawing swords and pointing them at the door to the phone booth. They all waited, not moving a muscle, then heard a click and the door swung open, with mist seeped out. The captains all held their breath as they saw two figures walk through the mist, then they stepped out, presenting a clear view of them. Both looked to be about teen aged, one with short curly black hair, and some faint Hispanic in his face, but it was also African American, giving him darker skin than most. He had shrew brown eyes and a small smile on his face as he walked out, his hands in a black hoodie and loose jeans held up with a thick black belt. The other one was a bit different. He was male, Caucasian, and his skin was so bleach of color it seemed to glow slightly. His hair was mid length, stopping around his ears, and he had on some plain clothes of a white shirt and black jeans. He also had a mask like an old theatre style mask. But it was a little odd. Instead of half happy half sad split vertically it was split horizontally. Leaving a twisted grin with a blue flame pattern and crying eyes with golden tears. The rest was white covering his whole face, making it impossible to see his eye color, but you could easily see his eyes darting around, taking in everything at once.

"I told you we'd get here okay." The first male said.

The other snorted. "Please, you put in the wrong coordinates the first time and we almost got killed by a group of Cybermen."

"Well, we all make mistakes."

They talked like they weren't being held at sword point, then the African American turned to face them with his smile back and he said, "Hello everyone. Nice to see you all."

"Who are you?" Soi Fon growled.

The male sighed. "Typical Soi Fon. Always _so_ serious. Though you seem more relaxed then I first meet you in the past. Or is that the future?"

Soi Fon, shocked by this, asked, "How do you know my name?"

"We've meet before. Well, meet before, though not yet."

Soi Fon pressed her blade to his neck. "Enough games," She growled. "Who are you and what do you want?"

The male sighed then said, "My name is Dante Price. And I'm here to help you end this war against Azien and the Espada."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The commander was sitting alone in his office as he thought of the things he had learned just a few hours ago. And how he felt the unease of what he had agreed to.

_Flash back, 2 hours_

"My name is Dante Price, and I've come to help you end this war against Azien and the Espada."

Everyone in the room looked shocked. This person, who had appeared out of nowhere in some old fashioned police box, knew about the war between them and Azien. But who were the Espada?

"How do you know about that? And who are the Espada?" Soi Fon asked, pressing her blade edge deeper into his neck.

Dante raised a finger on his left hand and said, "I'll answer the last question first. The Espada are what Azien calls the Arrancar he's managed to recruit and create, using the Hykogen, and they all have a rank depending on their power, going for 1 to 10. 1 being the strongest, 10 the weakest."

All of them look uneasy. This teen was talking with too much certainty to be lying. But did that mean…?

"Do you work for Azien?" Byakuya asked.

Dante snorted. "I'd sooner be exterminated then work for Azien. He's arrogant, self-absorbed, and frankly cares too little of his subordinates. Though he is powerful, I'll give him that."

"You forget something. I asked you how you know all of this." Soi Fon pointed.

"I'll tell, but first can we put the swords away and talk like civilized beings please?" Dante said.

All of them glanced at the commander, except Soi Fon, and he considered it for a minute, before nodding. They all put their blades away, and went back to their places, except Soi Fon. She stayed where she was, still glaring at Dante.

"Uumm, I believe that you can put the blade away Soi Fon," Dante asked.

"I think I'll keep it out. I don't trust you."

Dante sighed. Seemed like he would need to give them an idea of what he could do.

"Hold that thought please."

Dante rose his left arm and rolled up the sleeve of his hoodie, showing the Ultramatrix on his arm and he pressed a button, causing the dial to pop up.

"What are you doing?!" Soi Fon asked.

Dante ignored them and twisted the dial until he came to a black picture which showed a flaming skull. He slammed down on the dial, causing a flash of red light, along with the smell of brimstone to blast out from Dante.

"Stop it!" Soi Fon shouted. She took her sword from his neck and stabbed Dante in the shoulder, the blade sinking in easily. Too easily.

Dante looked back up at Soi Fon and she gasped, as did everyone else in the room, beside the white male that had yet to speak again. Dante's eyes were gone, now hollow eye sockets that had a faint red glow in the center, while his face had turned almost bone white, and even looked like a skull now. As they watched, the head burst into flames, melting the skin on it until only the bones were left, showing the skull and spinal column under his hoodie.

Dante, or what was left of him, looked at the blade in his shoulder, then back at Soi Fon and said, in a low growling voice "**That wasn't very nice."**

Dante grabbed Soi Fon with a bony hand and lifted upwards, despite her strength, taking the blade out. He then held the blade in his other hand and roared, the bones turning a molten red. The heat transferred to Soi Fon's blade, which began to melt right before her eyes. All the metal melted off, leaving only the hilt, and gathered floating above the bones. The metal then rippled and collapsed, turning into a ball the size of a marble.

Dante threw Soi Fon lightly away, causing her to skid slightly; the he held the ball with his finger tips and the flames around his head faded slowly, the skin growing back. When the flames on his head went out, the rest of his body quickly returned to normal.

"Well, that was fun." Dante said nonchallantly.

He slipped the metal ball into the pocket of his hoodie and turned back to the captains, who were all looking at him in shock.

Dante rose his other hand and started,"Sorry about that but…" he then cut himself of as he noticed his hand was still on fire.

"Oh, damn it…" he muttered a few things as he swung his hand wildly, trying to extinguish the flames, then finally stuck the hand into his pocket to smother the flames. He took his hand back out to show his hand still smoking, but otherwise unharmed.

Dante sighed and muttered, "I've got to spend more time learning to control the spirit."

Dante turned back and started again. "Sorry about that, but I felt that was the only way to really get you to take me seriously."

All of them were still looking at him in shock. This teen had managed to turn into some sort of skeleton that had enough strength to forcibly move Soi Fon's arm, and generate enough heat to melt her sword blade, which was too hot for any life to withstand.

"W-what are you?" Tōshirō stammered.

Dante smiled slightly and said, "Well, I'm… unique, I guess you would say. I'm half human."

"And what of the other half?" The commander rumbled out.

Dante smiled even wider. "Time lord."

Everyone looked confused while the commander turned so pale, one thought he would faint. He had only heard rumors of time lords, of their powers, but the rumors were so old, he had never given them any credit.

"I see you remember the rumors of our powers commander." Dante said.

"But that's all they are. Rumors. Legends. Time lords can't be real." The commander said.

Dante chuckled. "Then tell me, from who did you learn the 'legends', about time lords?"

"From my old mentor, the soul king."

"As I thought. And would the soul kings real name happen to be…"

The next thing anyone knew, Dante was now standing behind the commander, his hand covering his mouth as he muttered something in the commanders ear. If possible, the commander turned even more pale and his eyes grew very wide indeed.

"H-h-h-how…?"

Dante suddenly reappeared in the same place he had been before, and said, "The soul king and I go way back. Or forward really. He always praised you very much, but I think that he might have stoked your ego a little too much."

"How dare you?! The commander is the most…" Tōshirō started.

"Enough Tōshirō."

Tōshirō stopped suddenly. He looked at the commander, who was looking at Dante wide eyed, and said "Do not anger this man. He is far more dangerous than anyone in this room. Even me."

Everyone looked between the two of them, shocked. This person was more dangerous the captain commander?

"Well then." Kenpachi smiled. "Sounds like I got a good opponent to fight!"

Dante looked at Kenpachi. "Ah Kenpachi. I forgot how much you loved to fight in this time period."

"Damn right! Fighting is what I live for!"

"Sounds like you. But I think I would be too strong for you. After all, I've been jumping through time and space for over 700 years, and have fought things much more powerful then you." said Dante.

Everyone eyes bulged again, getting a real workout. This teen had been jumping through time for over 700 years.

"Now I know you're lying. You can't possibly be that old." Soi Fon said.

The white male snorted and said "Hardly. I'm even older than that, but he's been to places that many beings only dream of."

"And you are...?" Unohana said with a smile. While she was still uneasy, she sensed that neither bore them ill will.

"Connor, Connor Smith."

"And when you say you're older then Dante…?"

"Oh, by that I meant that I'm a vampire. Been alive for about 1000 years so far."

Mayuri looked like he was about to have a heart attack from excitement. Time jumping? Skeletal beings that could melt Zanpakutōs? Vampires? This was a gold mine of test subjects!

"Interesting. Seems I'll have enough to keep me busy for many years indeed." Mayuri said gleefully as he walked towards the TARDIS, reaching out to touch it. Dante smacked his hand and said, "No touching of the TARDIS."

Mayuri looked livid as he snarled, "Don't touch me you lesser being. If I wanted, I could make your life a living hell!"

"If you knew anything about time lords, you would know better than to talk to me like that." Dante said

"Enough. Captain Mayuri, return to your place, now!" The commander said.

Mayuri looked at the commander, then back at Dante with pure loathing, which he returned. As Mayuri went back to his place Dante then said "Now, since many of you don't know what time lords are, I'll take a minute to explain."

And so Dante explained, how time lords had invented time travel, the role they played in the universe at large, and how almost all of them had been killed or trapped in the last great time war, except for his mentor.

"That's impossible." Soi Fon said.

Dante looked at her and said, "Why? By all rights, you are just as impossible, beings that by all accounts, don't even exist in the first place."

"I don't care. Your story is too far-fetched. You expect us to believe that you are half time lord, and can travel to any place in time and space? This is a trick of Azien."

Dante looked amused as he asked, "How so?"

"If what you say is true, then we would believe that we could go back in time and stop Azien's betrayal in the first place, therefore lowering our guards and making us easy targets for attack."

"Fair enough. Would you like me to prove it to you then?" Dante said.

They all paused, as Dante went on, "I can take about 6 more people with me, and I can show you that I'm telling the truth. The only question is who will come."

Yamamoto stepped forward. Dante nodded. "Of course, Yamamoto. I think the others should be Tōshirō, Unohana, Soi Fon, Jūshirō, and Shunsui Kyōraku."

Kyōraku, a man with long black hair, part of it in a ponytail, with a straw hat and flowered robe over his captains uniform, pushed up his hat and said "Do I have to? This isn't really my style."

Dante snorted. "Nothing is your style. Plus, I think you'd find where and when we're going interesting."

Tōshirō looked at the police box before saying, "Even if we agree to come, not all of us can fight in that little box."

Dante smiled as he dug through his pocket and said, "Tōshirō, didn't you ever hear the expression 'never judge a book by its cover?'"

He pulled out a key and put it in the key hole of the TARDIS, which clicked, then he opened the doors, though not enough for them to see the inside clearly, and said, "Come in. should only take a minute. Or maybe a hour. Really with time travel, it can take any amount of time."

"Dante, stop with the riddles or I'll suck you dry." Connor threatened.

Dante muttered, "Lighten up a little."

Connor and Dante walked in, and the named captains slowly walked to the door, the commander being first. He slowly pushed open the door, revealing the inside. All of them gasped as they spotted the sight.

The room was far bigger on the inside then it looked from the outside. The first thing that caught the eye as they walked in was the control panels in the center, all centered around what looked like a giant see through pump. The panels were all glowing and beeping slightly, covered in symbols that they didn't recognize. The walls were covered in several circles, giving them a honey comb appearance, while pillars of what looked like wood or coral of some sort. Other then that, the room seemed to be bare.

Dante immediately went to the panels and began pushing buttons and pulling a lever here and there while Connor watched. As the captains turned to look, Tōshirō asked, "How is this…?"

"The room is dimensionally transcendental." Dante said, anticipating the question. "Meaning it's bigger on the inside. I have a few items that are like this, but not many. Got them from the Doctor."

"Who's the doctor?" Unohana asked.

"He's the mentor I mentioned. One of the last full blooded time lords. There is another, but he's been lost in space time for some time now. Al right, here we go."

Connor looked at the screens, reading, then he narrowed his eyes and asked, "You really want to go there?"

Dante said, "If I have to convince them, might as well drive the point home. Literally."

Jūshirō said, "What are you talking about?"

"You'll see in a minute, but in the meantime, hang on to something."

Before they could brace themselves, Dante pulled one last lever. This caused the TARDIS to jerk violently and send all the captains tumbling, except for the commander.

When the TARDIS straightened out, Tōshirō got to his feet and asked, "What the hell was that?"

Dante dug through his pockets for a second as he said, "Sorry, but this time period is always a little tricky to enter. Here, you may want to put these on."

Dante brought his hands out with several pairs of sunglasses. He passed them out to the captains, who put them on, though still confused, and Dante and Connor put their pairs on. Then Dante walked to the doors, everyone following him, he then said "Now to prove my point."

He threw open the doors to the TARDIS to show some sort of battle. As the captains eyes adjusted, they saw old model plans flying through the air, the fire of machine guns loud and sharp. Tōshirō walked out of the door, and then yelped when his feet touched nothing. Dante grabbed him by his robes and pulled him back in, saying, "Mind the ground, since we aren't on it."

Tōshirō looked down to see them flying about a mile off the ground, the TARDIS seemingly floating in midair.

The commander shouted over the buzz of the planes and the pop, pop, pop of machine guns to say "Where are we?!"

Dante shouted back, as a plane had just exploded near the TARDIS, "World War II, just outside of Hiroshima! And you may want to look there!"

He pointed out in the distance as the captains looked out. They saw Hiroshima, just a faint blot in the distance, then they saw a deep bright flash in the middle of it. Even with the sun glasses they were blinded, but when the spots cleared, they saw a massive mushroom cloud rising from the town. The captains were breathless. They had just seen the famous atom bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. As they watched, they saw the shockwave rippling towards them at very high speed, bringing fire with it.

"Dante!" Connor yelled.

"On it!"

Dante ran back to the panels and began pulling levers while Connor closed and locked the doors. The TARDIS began to shake violently as the shockwave approached. Dante threw the last lever and the TARDIS suddenly stopped shaking.

Dante took off his glasses and said, "Sorry, but we're in the time vortex now. Be back in a minute."

Dante walked behind one of the pillars then and despite them waiting for a minute, he didn't reappear.

Kyōraku asked, "Where did he go?"

Connor said, "Like he said, this place is dimensionally transcendent. This entire place is like a maze if you don't know what you're looking for or going. More than once I've gotten lost in here."

They all looked shocked, Unohana then asked, "I'm sorry, but how did Dante become half time lord. From what it sounds like, his body shouldn't be able to withstand that type of energy."

"You're right there. That watch on his arm, the Ultramatrix, it's what made him half time lord. That device also keeps his body from burning up from the DNA that merged with his. But it comes with a price." Connor said.

"And that is?" Jūshirō asked.

Connor looked away then said, "So long as Dante has that device on him, and the DNA of a time lord in him, he can't return to his own universe. He's spent over 700 years jumping from universe to universe, sometimes with the Doctor, but he's never been able to go home."

All of them felt saddened at that. As soul reapers, they didn't remember their past life's, but to spend over 700 years almost alone, unable to go home or visit…it sounded hard.

Tōshirō then asked, "How has he not gone insane?"

Connor looked at him and said, "What makes you think he hasn't?"

At that moment Dante came back, but he had a sword on his hip. The blades sheath was a dark blue, scaled and vines made of the same metal as the sheath wrapping around it. The hilt of the sword was dark black, looking wooden, and in the end of the hilt was a sapphire, held in place with 4 leafs made of metal.

Dante said, "Okay, should be getting back in a second or two."

And then then TARDIS thudded then, signaling their arrival.

As the captains walked out, Connor grabbed Dante's arm and asked, "Are you sure about this. If what you told me is right, they won't like this plan."

Dante simply smirked and said, "Connor when have I ever steered you wrong, don't answer that." He added quickly as he saw Connor open his mouth.

Dante and Connor walked out of the TARDIS and closed the doors. Dante then turned, seeing everyone back in their places in the meeting place, and clapped his hands, saying "now you know."

"That was… incredible." Tōshirō said.

Dante nodded. "I try. But now we have to move on to more pressing matters."

Everyone looked at Dante as he said "now I told you that I would help you end the war between you and Azien, and I intend to keep that promise."

The commander then asked, "And how do you intend to do that, Dante?"

Dante smirked and said, "By joining Azien's side and turning his own Arrancar against him."

The room was silent for a minute, then Soi Fon exploded.

"ARE YOU INSANE!?"

Dante and Connor looked at each other, then Dante looked at Soi Fon and held his fingers about an inch apart and simply said, "Little bit."

Soi Fon's face was molten red with anger as she snarled, "Do you think you can just walk into where ever his headquarters are, talk to him, and he'll let you join his army!? And why should we let you go to him after you just arrived here!?"

Dante smiled so widely, one would think his face would split in half.

"Hold that thought."

Dante brought up the Ultramatrix and twisted the dial a few times. When he was done, they heard a scratching sound at the door. Dante nudged it open for a cyber-mat, a small metal like mouse to come rolling out. On top of it was some book bound in brown leather ad held shut with a lock.

Dante took the book of and said thank you to the cyber mat. It beeped back, and then scurried back into the TARDIS.

Soi Fon snarled "What is…?" then she stopped as she got a good look at the book. She turned as pale as a corpse so fast, one would think she had just died. The others noticed and Jūshirō asked, "Captain Soi Fon?"

But Soi Fon only had eyes for the book as she stuttered, "That's…that's…that's…"

"Deep breath Soi Fon before you pass out." Dante said. He put his hand on the lock of the book which popped open. He took it off and dropped it, and then he reached into his pocket and pulled out some glasses with thick black frames as he said "After all, I think you might want to hear this."

"How did you…?" Soi Fon asked.

"Not too long ago."

"What is that?" The commander asked.

Dante looked up and said, "Ah sorry." He took of his glasses as he said, "This, my dear commander, is the private diary of the one and only captain Soi Fon."

Everyone paused. Soi Fon kept a diary? How did…?

"And I got this from her future self, oh, 10 years into the future. Not that she knows. But I have to say…" he put back on his glasses as he said "… you really wrote some steamy stuff in here Soi Fon. I've been jumping the multiverse for centuries, but I've never read anything so…_graphic."_

Soi Fon started trembling. He had read her diary?! But why did he have… oh god.

"Let's read a little shall we?" he opened it to a page in the middle and started reading.

_"I just saw Yoruichi again today. Oh, how I love her! She's an absolute goddess on earth, the very definition of beauty and lust. I've dreamed about #$%&*# her for decades, and I've always imagined how I would."_

"STOP IT!" Soi Fon shouted. She flash stepped to grab the book, but Dante simply moved back a step, causing her to miss. Dante kept reading as Soi Fon tried to grab the book, moving with extreme speed and agility as he did.

"_First I would…"_

Here he said some pretty dirty stuff, so dirty that even the commander was blushing a very light shade of red, while Tōshirō's face had gone supernova.

"STOP IT!" Soi Fon shrieked in a banshee voice, and finally managed to grab the book. She flash stepped away from Dante, hugging the book to her chest.

Dante looked at the space where the book had been for a second, then he looked at Soi Fon, who was blushing so much her hair was about to burst into flames, and said, "Uh Soi Fon? That's not the diary."

Soi Fon said, "What are you…?"

Then she looked down and saw that the book was printed, were pictures that were… well, 3 guesses.

"That would be an uncensored copy of the 50 shades of Grey comic. Thought you might appreciate it."

And then Soi Fon, hardened veteran and captain of the assassination squad of Gotei 13, did the one thing no one had ever seen her do. She fainted.

Her eyes rolling into the back of her head as she fell backwards, hitting the floor. Her nose was bleeding slightly.

Dante then said, "Hhmm. Might have overdone it."

Connor snorted. "You think?"

Dante took off his glasses and took his time folding them up, then he put them back in his pocket. "So, while she's sleeping off the shock, can we move on?"

The commander said, "Please do. I think we all need to get that out of our heads."

Dante smirked. Nothing like embarrassment to get people to listen.

"Very well then. Now, my plan is this…"

Dante took a little while to explain his plan, but when he was finished all the captains were silent.

Tōshirō then said, "Here's one part I don't understand. If you can travel in time, why _can't_ you go back and warn us about Azien's betrayal before it happens?"

Dante said, "Because though most time is easily changed, there are points in time where it fixed. The point where Azien betrayed you is one. Even if I were to go and kill him as a child, this present wouldn't change. So I'm afraid that if we can't change the past, we can at least direct the future."

The commander then said, "Are you sure you can accomplish this Dante? A great deal depends on you turning these people."

Dante's eyes hardened as he said, "Commander I've done many things. I've save an entire city from a virus and a madman, fought one of the most powerful dark wizards of all time, fought an ancient evil that took over several worlds in a matter of days, and killed the most powerful dragon rider in the world. I have more experience and power then even you could hope to match. I am certain I can do this."

All of them looked at the commander as he let his head sink in thought. He then shifted and said, "very well. We will do as you ask, and follow your plan."

Dante bowed his head. "Thank you commander. You won't be disappointed."

_End flash back_

The commander knew that time lords were referred as gods, and from when Dante took them to Hiroshima, he believed their powers were indeed equal to them. But he couldn't help but feel uneasy that things were out of his hands.

He thought, "_May the soul king have mercy on us."_

_Hueco Mundo, Meeting room_

"Hello, my dear Espada." Azien said, warmth seemingly flowing from him as he smiled, his brown hair flowing back.

The Espada were all gathered at a long rectangular table, an middle aged man who looked tiered, a old man with a 5 pronged crown, one so pale he looked to be crafted from chalk, one with a massive scythe sitting next to him, another with a punk look and blue hair, a African American man with 8 spikes running up his neck to his bald head, a man with pink hair, one whose face was covered with a mask that had eight holes, wearing a frilly lace collar, and a giant at the end who looked bored out of his mind. The only woman there with dark skin and green eyes looked calm and collected as Azien spoke again.

"I have gathered you here today, because I would like Ulquiorra and Yammy to go to Karakura town, and gather intelligence on a certain person."

"And who will we be gathering this information on, master Azien." The pale man said in a emotionless voice.

Azien smile widened as he said "Ichigo Kurosaki."

_**VWOOORP VWOOOORP VROOOOORP**_

All of them paused. Even Azien looked slightly confused at that sound.

_**VWOOORP VWOOOORP VROOOOORP**_

A small gust of wind came from the end of the table, and they all looked to see an old fashioned police box flickering in and out. As they watched, it solidified, and the door opened, showing 2 people. One was a short African American, the other a pale Caucasian. The African American had a sword on his hip with the other had a cloak around him that looked like a piece of the night sky.

The African looked around and said, "I knew we should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The reaction was interesting. Not a single person did a thing except look at the two newcomers, then Yammy, the giant, stood up and shouted "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Dante rubbed his ear as he said, "There's no need to shout so loud. We're right here."

Yammy snarled as he stomped towards them. "Who are you?!" He demanded.

"Well, I go by a few names, though the one I prefer is Dante Price."

"How the hell did you get here?" Yammy snarled.

Dante sighed. He knew Yammy was stubborn, but god was he thick.

"I would tell you, but I'm here to talk to Azien. So if you'll excuse me…"

He walked past Yammy, but Yammy grabbed Dante by the hood of his jacket and threw him, causing him to crash into the wall. The dust obscured him as Yammy shouted, "Don't ignore me you worm!"

"Who are you calling a worm?"

Yammy's eyes bugged and whirled around again to see Dante standing behind him, not a speck of dust on him, though he was now holding his sword with his right hand, the blade still sheathed and resting on his shoulder. Dante looked behind himself boredly as he said "Now, I believe I said I wanted to talk to Azien."

"NOT A CHANCE!" Yammy yelled as he tried to punch Dante. Dante spun on his heel and ducked under the blow, then he braced his hand against the floor and kicked upward, hitting Yammy underneath the chin. As he lifted a few inches off the ground, Dante pushed off with his hand and spun in midair, hitting Yammy with the sheathed sword and sending him flying into the wall. They heard several crashes and when the dust cleared, it was shown he had gone through 3 or 4 walls.

Dante put his sword back on his belt and muttered, "Stupid idiot."

He heard light clapping and turned to see Azien was the source of the clapping. He was looking at Dante in interest as he said, "My, my, you're powerful aren't you? I didn't think my 10th Espada would be taken down so easily."

"Don't be fooled, that punch hurt a little. Now, if I'm right, you are Azien correct?"

Azien nodded. "I am. And you said your name was Dante Price?"

Dante nodded, as he then heard several crashes and looked back to see Yammy climbing through the holes in the walls, a slight bruise forming from where Dante had hit him. Yammy looked livid as he shouted, "That's it punk! You just signed your own death warrant!"

Yammy held up a first that began to glow with a red light then punched, sending a energy blast flying at him. Connor then appeared in front of him and whipped his cape in front of them. The blast hit the cloak and seemed so sink in to it. As Yammy stood dumb struck, Connor's cape glowed slightly before the blast came back twice as fast, hitting Yammy in the chest. You could hear his breath come out in a whoof as he took a step back. He looked at Connor with murderous rage as he shouted "I'm gonna kill you both!"

"Enough Yammy."

Yammy paused and looked at Azien, who was looking at Connor and Dante in interest.

"But Master Azien, these two…!"

"Managed to get into Hueco Mundo without tripping any sensors, take a punch and Bala from you, and yet don't seem the least bit tired. I won't have you killing such interesting people."

Yammy ground his teeth. He wanted nothing more than to crush those two, but he knew better than to defy Azien, and growled "Yes sir." He went back to his seat, glaring at Connor and Dante.

"So, you said you wanted to speak to me. About what?" Aizen asked.

Dante looked at him and calmly stated, "We would like to join your side, and help to crush soul society."

Everyone looked at between Dante and Azien. Aizen looked a little interested as he then said, "Interesting. You know of soul society?"

"We know about them alright. They killed our friends and family." Connor said in a hard voice.

Azien's mind was going a mile a minute. 2 beings, both powerful and with unique abilities, and a deep anger that shone out of their eyes, and wanting to join his side to crush soul society. If he could get them on his side, it would be invaluable.

"Really? I'm curious as to why."

Dante gestured behind him at the TARDIS. "This is why. What stands behind me is what's called a TARDIS, Time and Relative Dimension in Space. This is a machine that travels through time and space."

The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. The first to break the silence was the pink haired man, or Szayel, said "That's not possible. In order to travel through time, you would need to move…"

"…faster than the speed of light," Dante said in an irritated tone. "And then use an enormous amount of energy to complete the jump. Yes, yes I know. After all, I happen to know of the race that made these machines."

Here is where Azien's interest peaked. He leaned forward and asked, "Race? As I know, there's no spirit race that's managed time travel, or I would have known about it."

"Not quite." Dante continued. "The race I'm speaking of is not a spiritual race but more of extra terrestrial origin."

The room was silent they all had wide eyes, while Szayel looked like he might have a stroke. He whispered "Extra Terrestrial?"

"Or, at least they were. There all but gone now, long since killed. Only 2 full-blooded time lords, for that was the name of the race, are left, and of course myself."

"You're one of the two?" Aizen asked.

Dante shook his head. "No, I'm only half time lord. That's the only reason I can operate this machine. That's also the reason soul society killed my family."

Starrk then asked Connor, "What about you?"

Connor shook his head as well. "I'm just a vampire, the last of my kind. Another reason why soul society killed my clan."

Azien smiled. "Do tell."

Dante and Connor knew they were convincing actors when the time was needed, and right now they pulled out all the stops.

"You see, the TARDIS is a powerful machine. This one was originally my father's, who spent most of his life jumping through time and space. Eventually, he found my mother who lived in the 1960's. When they met, my father invited her to join him on his ventures. She agreed to leave with him, since her family had been killed in a plane crash and she didn't have any other family of her own. They spent years together, then finally they had me. Though to be honest, I should be dead. The merging of human and timelord DNA, timelords being the ones who invented time travel, and the only one who could operate these machine, isn't stable. Timelords brains are hardwired entirely differently than humans, and the mix of the DNA should have cause me to die when I was born."

Dante then rolled up his sleeve. "The only reason I didn't die…" he pointed out the Ultramatrix to them, holding his arm up. "… is because of this. It stabilized the two strands and made it so I could live, so long as this is never removed."

"So what drove the soul society to murder your family?" Tosen asked.

"My father decided to settle in at soul society with me and my mother. As soon as they found out what my father was, they killed him and my mother while I was out."

"And what of you Connor?" Aizen asked.

"They found out my kind existed and decided to rid the world of us. Killing my friends and family until I was the only one left."

"So how did you avoid your demise?" Asked Nntoria.

"That's when we first meet." Dante said. "Y'see, after my parents were murdered, I stole my father's TARDIS and ran away. Then one day I came across a few Shinigami chasing Connor and I decided to persevere."

"If this TARDIS is able to go back in time, that means you'd be to go back and destroy the soul society with ease." Grimjow pointed out.

"Yes, but unfortunately during Connor's rescue a kido spell managed to mess up the controls and I've been only able to travel to that point in time and this year. So further time travel and space exploration is out of commission until I fix it, and trust me this machine is very complex."

Then a new speaker, Tia, said, "If I may ask, when did this all happen?"

"Just right after Aizen's betrayal. The reason why they killed out families is because they thought they were most likely to join him."

"Unfortunately, we had no grudge with them and would have kept to ours self's if they hadn't killed our families. Now we decided they would suffer for their incompetence. And that is why we've come to join you, Azien." Connor said.

"May I ask what is the purpose of your mask?" Azien asked directed toward Connor.

"The mystery of the mask mesmerizes my opponents when I wish and as they are lost in my trance I slay me with ease" Connor said. "But I don't do that often... Not as much fun."

Azien had always prized himself on not just his intellect and acting, but his ability to see through any lies through body postures, voices, and gestures. He didn't detect any dishonesty in either of them.

Azien smiled and said, "Very well. I would be happy to let you join my army."

"Master Azien!" the old man, or Baraggan, as his name was, stood and said "we don't need these creatures! If…"

"If they willingly want to join my army, and have been wronged by soul society, then it is my choice whether or not they join." Azien said in a mild tone, but he let his spirit energy out enough for everyone's body to feel slightly heavy.

"Hang on." Dante said as he turned to Baraggan. "And what would satisfy you that we can join Baraggan? Hhm? I think we've proved we're strong enough to take some punches from Yammy there unscathed."

Baraggan said, "I have a better idea. If _master…_" he put emphasis on that word, like it burned his mouth, "…Azien will allow it, then you will fight some of my fraccion, as well as 3 Privaron Espada." Azien considered for a minute, thinking. It would make sense to have them fight, therefore revealing more of their powers and battle strength. Really, it was a win-win.

"Very well. I will gather the Privaron Espada in the center of Hueco Mundo in one hours' time. After wards, if they defeat enough of the opponents set before them, then they will be allowed to pick whoever's fraccion they wish. Is that acceptable?" Directing this question to Dante and Connor.

Dante and Conner looked at each other, pretending to think about it. They both felt triumphant, but completely hid it from their faces and body language. Azien and Baraggan acted just like they expected them too. Now everything was in place for them to join.

Dante looked at Azien and said, "Yes Azien, we'll agree to those terms."

Azien smiled. "Good. In the meantime, you are all dismissed."

Everyone got up from their seats, Baraggan shooting them a look of loathing before he stormed out of the room. The battle junkies, Grimjow and Nntoria, were both looking at Conner and Dante in interest. Seemed they had found new sparring partners.

Dante and Connor walked back to the TARDIS and Dante took out the key to unlock it. Just before he did, Tier walked past on his right side, stopping for a minute to glance at him. He stopped for a minute and met her eyes. She searched his face as he looked back. He felt his heart thumping a little harder in his chest than normal, and then tier turned and walked out of the room as Dante watched her go.

Conner watched the entire interaction and muttered, "Lucky bastard."

Dante just smirked as he said, "Can't help it. I'm just that good."

Then he opened the TARDIS and they walked in, using the time they had to prepare for the battles ahead of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Baraggan was in a foul mood as he stormed into his quarters. It was bad enough that Azien uprooted him as king of Hueco Mundo, but that he was letting two new creatures join their ranks, one of whom could travel _through time._ That really dug a thorn into his side.

"Problems lord Baraggan?"

He turned to see a man with long blond hair that fell to his waist, a hollow mask that covered everything but his mouth and eyes, a thin rapier hanging at his side. This was Finddor, the strategist of Baraggan's fraccion, and the most composed of them.

Baraggan snarled as he said, "Yes Finddor, problems. 2 of them to be precise."

Finddor bowed as he asked, "And what troubles you master?"

Baraggan said, "It seems Azien is letting 2 new recruits into our ranks. Both of them looking fully _human."_

Finddor stiffed and rose up. He opened his mouth until he heard another voice shouted, "WHAT?! What is Azien thinking?!"

A male Arrancar walked around the corner, showing himself. He was short, about 4 and a half feet tall, with a braided pony tail and a youthful face. He also had a saber tooth tiger skull sitting on his head like a helmet.

Baraggan looked at him and said, "Vega. I'm glad to see you were listening. Yes, Azien is letting 2 human like beings join our ranks, _but_…" he said, "… only if they can defeat 2 Privaron Espada, and 2 fraccion. I plan to nominate 2 of mine for that battle. And _you are not to lose_. Is that clear?"

They both shouted, "Yes master!" and bowed at the waist.

Baraggan smiled evilly as he said, "Good. Gather the others. The battles will take place in one hour."

_With Tier_

_"_What is lord Azien thinking!?"

This was shouted by a female Arrancar tomboyish Arrancar with heterochromia, one sky blue and one amber eye; the latter having a red ring around it. She had short black hair, with her mask fragments forming a horn like a unicorn in front of her head, stretching back to hold it in place. She wore the typical Arrancar uniform, with 2 bracelets on her wrists.

"Ah, are you scared the humans will get you Appaci?"

This was the work of a dark-skinned Arrancar who dressed like an Amazon warrior. Her mask fragments formed a three-sectioned crown around her head and a thick necklace, with a dark hollow hole halfway between her large breasts and naval. Her sword, hanging on he left waist, resembled a western style long sword.

"WHAT!? I'm not scared in the slightest Mila Rose! You're the one who's trembling in your boots!"

"You think I'm scared of humans!? The only thing that has me afraid is that I have to be in the same room as you!"

The last member of Tier's fraccion sighed. She was dressed a little differently than the others, wearing a white dress with long sleeves, one of which she was holding up to cover her mouth, while she held the dress in with 2 belts crisscrossing at her waist. She had long, olive green hair, with 3 pink dots under her right eye. Her mask remnants created three hair clip-like extensions on the right side of her hair, as she looked bored as she said, "You really must stop fighting. We're all uncertain about this change, so stop arguing and admit you're both nervous."

"SHUT UP SUNG-SUN!" They both shouted, looking at her. "NOBODY ASKED YOU!"

Tier was looking out over the balcony of her tower, watching as a small crowd gathered in the deserted part of Hueco Mundo. Tier was just as surprised as the others of the two creatures, but not of what they were. But rather their powers. The one called Dante Price had managed to completely defeat Yammy with a kick and hit, while the other, Connor, had used an odd cloak to redirect a bala into Yammy, and both using an impressive amount of speed to do it. Though she found herself to be more interested in Dante. When she had studied him before, she had seen something in his eyes. Some deep rooted pain that was almost hidden behind those eyes.

"Well, one things for sure, those guys will be just as useless as the other males here." Appaci said, crossing her arms.

"For once I agree with you," Mila Rose said. "If there's one thing all males have in common, it's that they're weak and selfish."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

All of the fraccion paused, then looked at Tier. She didn't turn her back as she said, "Both of them have unique and interesting powers, yet they also worked as a team. I think that they may different then the others here. In fact, when that man name Dante fought Yammy, he never unsheathed his blade. And that is truly impressive."

The 3 fraccion started at their master, then each other. They had never heard tier praise anyone so much before. Maybe these guys weren't weaklings.

Tier looked up, judging the time, and said, "Now come. It's time for them to fight."

_Battle grounds_

Azien and the other Espada were all waiting for Dante and Connor to arrive, while Azien had gathered the Privaron Espada, the current Espada, and their fraccions.

Baraggan was pacing back and forth as he snarled, "They're late."

Gin smiled his snake grin as he said, "Well, guess when you're a time lord, you really have all the time in the world."

Then they heard a whoosh as Connor appeared in front of the group and said, "Sorry I'm late. Got a little held up."

He was still wearing the same cloak from earlier, wrapped mostly around his body, but now he had what looked like a medieval claymore hanging from his belt, the blade sheathed in a plain scarab.

Azien simply said, "No harm done. But where would Dante be?"

_**VWOOORP VWOOOORP VROOOOORP**_

As soon as he said that, the TARDIS began to fade in and out beside Conner, then it solidified and Dante walked out, still having his sword.

"Sorry, but I had to find a place to park." He said.

Azien looked at the TARDIS and said, "Forgive me, but I thought you stated that the circuits that allowed the machine to move were disabled."

"Ah, forgive me for the confusion, I meant that as far as traveling through time, I could only arrive at that place and time, but traveling in the same time, merely changing location, that is simply enough." Dante said.

Dante then pulled a key out of his hoodie pocket, pointed it at the TARDIS as it prompt the standard car _beep-beep_ to come from the TARDIS.

Dante turned back and clapped his hands as he said, "So, whom are we fighting first?"

As he was talking, Tier's fraccion was taking in Dante and his appearance. While he looked normal, except for the blade hanging from his waist, he made them a little uneasy. He was too fast, slightly too loud, and above all, _too cheerful._ Being that happy was unnatural. If only they knew that this wasn't full cheerful.

Azien smiled as he said, "I thought that you might start with this man."

Then a tall man with pale dark skin walked out from the group. The first noticeable thing about this man as his huge burnt orange afro, looking like some beach ball on his head, while having side burns the same color, and a small black goatee. He also wore some sun glasses with 4 human teeth coming from below, which wrapped around to meet his ears, and a star in the middle of the plate. His uniform looked like something that belonged in a 80's disco club., he had two punch daggers attached to his wrists, but what Dante suspected were hinges.

The man pulled up his shades and said, "So, you are the two who are looking to join?"

Dante nodded and said, "Yes, but in all fairness, would you be satisfied fighting just me?"

The man nodded his head and said, "Of course, if master Azien will allow it."

Azien never stopped smiling and simply said, "Of course."

"In that case, let's go."

Dante then vanished at the same time as the Espada, both appearing 50 feet away from the group and each other, Dante holding his sheath, ready to draw, while the man had his daggers at the ready, holding them to point outwards.

"I never caught your name." Dante said in a conversational tone.

The man smiled as he said, "My name is Gantenbainne Mosqueda **(A/N: to save time, we'll just call him Ganten.)**. Let's have a fair fight."

Dante smiled as he drew his sword. The blade made a slithery hiss of metal on metal as it was drawn. The blade, like everything else, was blue, but the color was iridescent and shifted tones and flashes as the blade caught the light. Dante held the sword away from his body as he said "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Both waited for the other to make the first move, nobody breathing. Then both of them charged towards each other, covering the distance in an instance and kicking up clouds of dust. Ganten stabbed with his right fist at Dante's head, but he quickly flicked his sword through the air, turning the blade aside with ease. He stabbed at Ganten's head, only he leaned to the side, dodging and causing Dante to over extend himself. Ganten jabbed with his other fist at Dante's mid body, but he pushed off and flew upwards, spinning as he did to dodge. As he did, he tried to slash down at Ganten's head, only for him to block with both dagger fists. But Dante wasn't done. He quickly popped the sheath off his belt and swung it, hitting Ganten in his ribs, driving out some of his breath. Then dantes momentum carried him past Ganten and he hit the ground face first. Ganten tried to punch downwards, but Dante pushed off with his legs, going into a hand stand and pushing off, flying through the air before landing lightly on his feet, spinning as he did so to face Ganten again, a smile on his face and another on Ganten.

All this took place in only a few seconds, and all the Espada were stunned. This human was managing to keep up with a demoted Espada with ease, even getting in a hit of his own while blocking or dodging the others meant for him.

"I told you he wasn't ordinary." Tier said.

Her fraccion were watching with a little interest. This human had skills. Maybe he wouldn't be a bad addition to their ranks.

Ganten chuckled as he said, "You're very good. Very skilled."

Dante smiled and bowed his head slightly, though he never took his eyes away from his target and said, "As are you."

Connor was watching with a expressionless face. He wasn't impressed, especially since he hadn't even used his swords true power. But he figured he was probably saving it for the fight with Baraggan's fraccion.

Ganten said, "Since you've proved to be a strong opponent, I will honor you with my full power."

Ganten held up both fists as electricity began sparking between the blades of his daggers, his spirit energy rising rapidly as he said, "Roar, Dragra."

Ganten exploded in a burst of sand and spirit energy, the resulting blast forcing Dante to cover his eyes to keep sand out. When the sand settled down, Ganten was shown to have changed very much.

Gantenbainne's arms had grown longer and become covered in dome-shaped, armor plating, while his punch daggers had now come to resemble dragon heads. Similar plates also extended down his back until they terminated in the form a tail, giving him an appearance reminiscent of an armadillo.

Dante was looking at this transformation in interest. He wished he could take out his sonic screwdriver and get some readings, but he doubted Azien would allow that. Besides, he didn't want to reveal he had something like that. Not yet.

Ganten held up his right dragon fist and said, "Take a good look. This is my dragra, and it has quite the ability."

As Dante watched, the mouth part of the fist began to glow and Ganten cocked his fist back, then punched. The energy left the mouth and flew towards Dante at high-speed, resembling a bala, but stronger while keeping the speed.

Dante pushed off to the side as the blast hit, skidding as it exploded. He looked to see Ganten changing up more, but he wasn't having any of that. He pushed off again and closed the gap, swinging at his shoulder, but his sword bounced off the armor. "Nice try," Ganten said. "But it'll take more than that to break my armor."

Ganten slammed a fist into Dante's side, the blast sending him flying sideways and skipping across the sand before he hit it on his back. He had worse injuries, but that blast stung like hell. He looked down to see the skin had scabbed over from the heat of the blast, and his clothes were smoking a little, but that was about it.

Azien watching this said, "Hhmm, seems like Dante isn't as fast as he seemed."

"Don't be fooled."

Azien paused and looked at Connor, who was watching the battle boredly now as he said, "Dante's speed is far greater than this. If I had to guess, he's testing the waters." Then he paused as Dante got up, smirking as he did so. "But it looks like now he's getting down to it."

Dante got to his feet slowly, looking as Ganten was watching, and called, "Nice hit! That was a good blast in the glove."

"Thank you." Ganten said. "I'm surprised you can still stand from that hit."

Dante smirked as he said, "Oh, I've many surprises. For example, this… is my true power."

Dante suddenly vanished, causing Ganten to blink and say, "What the…?"

"Behind you."

Ganten whirled around as Dante swung his sword again. Unlike before, the blade managed to slice a few inches into the armor, but stopped. Ganten tried to punch Dante, but his fist went right through him.

"What the…?!"

Dante blurred and vanished as something hit Ganten in the side of the face, causing him to stagger. He snapped his head around to see Dante standing there, sheath in hand. He swung his blade in his other hand and Ganten raised his arms in a cross to block. The blade clanged into the armor on his forearms then sunk in easily. Ganten's eyes widened as he used sonido, the Arrancar speed move, to get away before it hit his skin.

Ganten looked at Dante from 20 feet away and asked, "What gives? Before, your blade couldn't even scratch me and you could barely keep up with me."

Dante smirked as he said, "I held back to see what you could do. Now I'm using my bodies full power. As to how I cut you, I have complete mastery over it. I can _choose_ what to cut and what not to cut."

Ganten's eyes narrowed. Seemed like Dante wasn't fooling around. Time to try his ultimate attack.

"All right then. Time to give you everything I got then."

As Dante watched, Ganten brought his fists close together as the dragon heads glowed. Energy began to flow out of them and meet in the middle, forming rapidly into an orb the size of a fully inflated beach ball.

Ganten then cried, "Take this! Rugir der Dragon (Dragon Roar Fist)!"

The energy was sent flying towards Dante. As it advanced, the energy was molded and changed into a roaring dragon's head. Dante narrowed his eyes against the light as the attack came closer. When it was right on top of him, he yelled and slashed his blade at the energy. It sliced through it easily, the strike happening at such high-speed that the energy was dispersed in a blast of wind and withered, while the air flew towards Ganten. Ganten quickly rose his arms to protect himself as the attack hit. He was pushed back easily as he gritted his teeth in an attempt to keep it at bay, but the force was to great as he flew backwards, the attack hitting him full on. He hit the ground on his back, ready to get up, but stopped as he felt something cold lightly touch under his jawbone. He looked up into Dante's eyes, cold and narrowed as he said calmly, "Yield."

Ganten debated for a minute whether he should try to attack, but he knew Dante would finish him before he could.

"I yield."

Dante took the blade and sheathed it while Ganten went back to his released state. Then as Ganten started to get up, Dante offered a hand to him. Ganten regarded it for a minute, then he grabbed it and Dante pulled him up. He searched Dante's face and said, "You spared me."

Dante looked back into his face as he said, "We're not enemies. And I never kill if I can avoid it."

Ganten smiled and said, "You know what? You're all right."

Dante smiled and gave him a light pound on the chest as he said, "You too."

Then they heard light clapping and looked back at Azien. He looked amused as he said, "Well done Dante. A splendid finish."

Needless to say, everyone looked surprised Dante had actually won. Tier looked calm while her fraccion look flabbergasted. Baraggan was snarling silently that the human had managed to defeat the former Espada, and with eased it looked like. This would be more troublesome then he thought.

"Now," Aizen said, "unless I'm mistaken, it is Connor's turn."

Connor walked out and passed Dante. He quickly muttered, "Remember what I said. Don't use any other powers then the one we discussed."

"Got it." Connor muttered back.

Connor then reached his place while Dante went to stand next to Tier and her fraccion. Tier ignored him while her fraccion looked at him with dislike and distrust. Dante noticed this, but did nothing as he crossed his arms to watch the fight.

Connors cloak flared out to allow more movement as he drew his claymore, then he asked Azien, "And my opponent?"

"Ah yes. Your opponent will be Cirucci Sanderwicci."

'So Dante was right.' Connor thought. He had predicated what opponents they would face regarding the former Espada. 'I hate it when he's right.' Due to the fact when Dante was right, things went bad for him.

His opponent appeared 30 feet away from him, having used sonido. Her appearance was similar to that of the Gothic Lolita style of Japanese fashion. She had short purple-colored hair, purple-colored eyes, black fingernails and light purple teardrop markings on each cheek. Her outfit consisted of a frilly dress with large, poofy sleeves that cut off at her shoulder, a pair of knee-high boots, fingerless, evening-style gloves, as well as leg warmers that attach to garters at her thighs. Cirucci had wings on her back, however it is unclear to Connor whether or not they are a part of her outfit. The remains of her Hollow mask were positioned in her hair right above the left side of her forehead and resembled a spiked hairpin. She was looking at Connor evilly with a smirk on his face.

'If I know anything about this woman, she loves playing with her prey. Good thing Connor can take care of himself.' Dante thought.

Connor was thinking at the same time, 'Ever since Yokai Academy, why the hell does every attractive woman I meet want to kill me?'

Cirucci smirked as she said, "So you're my opponent? I thought I would get a real challenge, not some pale emo weakling."

Connors eye twitched slightly. "Sorry?" He asked.

Dante turned pale and thought, 'Oh crap.'

"Well, I thought that Dante at least had some power. You on the other hand strike me as somebody who needs to have somebody holding your hand every step of the way." Cirucci said.

Dante was now starting to sweat as he thought, 'If she keeps this up, Connor will seriously kill her!'

Tier noticed this and asked, "Are you all right?"

Dante shook his head. "If this keeps up, things are going to get very messy and you are going to need a new number 105."

Tier rose her eye brow. This didn't sound good.

Connor was now starting to shake slightly as he said, "I would highly recommend you shut up now."

Cirucci said, "Why? Don't like hearing the truth, you…"

She never got to finish as Connor roared and charged forward, using all of his speed. He appeared in front of her and slashed his claymore at the former Espada. She barely managed to dodge backwards as the blade hit the ground, sending up a pillar of sand 30 feet high. Cirucci snarled as she said, "It's rude to attack while…"

Connor appeared behind her and kicked her in her back, sending her flying forwards as the air actually couldn't get out of the way in time and made a ring of white around her, going skipping across the sand, and flying towards Dante. As she approached, he simply sidestepped as she flew past, landing face first in the sand behind him. He looked back and said, "Little tip. Don't piss of a 1000 year old vampire who's had issue with higher beings and anger management."

"I heard that!"

"Crap."

Cirucci pulled her head out of the sand and spat some out while she got up, turning to look at Connor with murder in her eyes.

"NOW YOU'VE DONE IT YOU FREAK! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT!"

She pulled out her sword, which looked like a yo-yo attached to the sword hilt, and held it sideways as she shouted, "Rip off, Golondrina!"

She morphed into her released state, giving everyone a clear view. large wings had sprouted from Cirucci's back, allowing her to fly, each having ten crescent-shaped blades on them in place of feathers. Her mask had become a beak-like headpiece with a large, feathery mane protruding from it, covering most of her body and trailing past her legs. She had also gained a long, prehensile tail, which emerged from her back. Large pieces of armor that resembled the disc of Golondrina's sealed state had formed around her shoulders while in addition, her arms had become long and slender, with large claws.

"A giant bug?" Connor scoffed. "That's the best you got?"

Cirucci eyes darkened as she snarled, "You dare insult me?"

"Seeing as you insulted me, yes. Especially since I've seen scary things on TV in the human world."

"Shut up!"

As Dante watched, the feathers on Cirucci's wings detached and hovered in midair. She slashed her claws and sent them flying towards Connor, who rose his sword to block, but as the first feather hit, it started to slice through Connors blade. He noticed and quickly pulled out his sword and ducked down to dodge the attack. But Cirucci's other feathers changed course to head towards Connor who noticed and started running sideways to keep ahead.

"Not so cocky now are you?!" Cirucci shouted. "My feathers can vibrate at 1,100,000- 1,300,000 times per second to increase my cutting power! Let's see you get out of this!"

Dante was watching as Connor ran as Appaci snorted and said, "Huh! I thought he might have some strength, but I guess he's just as useless as every other male."

"Don't be so sure."

She looked at Dante as he said, "Connor's no fool. If I know him, he's got a plan."

Appaci snorted and said, "Please. I doubt he could do anything against this sort of ability."

Dante glanced at her and smirked slightly. "Just watch."

Connor was running at high-speed and timing everything in his head as he got ready.

"It's no use!" Cirucci shouted. "I control those feathers path! I can make them follow you anywhere!"

Connor smirked. That was just what he needed to hear. He stopped then charged at Cirucci, the feathers following him closely. Cirucci laughed and shouted "You think I'm an idiot!?"

Connor stopped right in front of her and asked, "Is that a trick question?"

The feathers raced right towards his back. Just before they hit, the cloak flared outwards, covering Connors back, and the feathers sank into the endless depths of it, leaving no trace.

Cirucci felt the loss of connection to her feathers and said "What the…?!"

Connor said, "I believe these are yours." And jumped upwards, allowing the cloak to fire the feathers directly at Cirucci to slice through her skin. She cried out in pain and went skidding backwards from the momentum. Connor landed in a crouch as the cloak floated back to settle on his back. He looked up at Cirucci, who was taking the feathers out of her skin, and said "So, how does it feel to be injured by 'pale emo weakling?'"

Cirucci looked at Connor in fury as she shouted, "That's it you freak! Now you're really going to pay!"

As they watched, Cirucci brought her feathers back to their places, and then raised her tail. It split in half down the middle and began to glow a light pink, then the light expanded into a fanned shape. She shouted "Try blocking this! This entire blade is made of spirit energy, and cannot be deflected! Your done for!" and she used sonido to charge at Connor, then stabbed downwards with her tail.

Connor was looking down wards and said, "Funny thing about anger. You let it consume you, and then you lose sight of everything."

Then the cloak flared out and wrapped around Connor, whirling like a tornado, then it collapsed into nothing as her blade sank into the ground.

"What the…?"

Then she heard two fast whooshes and looked behind her to see Connor, his sword almost sheathed as he said, "And that's that."

Then he sheathed it completely with a _clink,_ and two deep gashes opened with a burst of blood on Cirucci's shoulders, causing her to cry in agony and fall to ground.

All of the Espada except for Ulquiorra blinked and thought 'What the…?' they hadn't even seen any sword cuts at all. Only Dante looked calm as he thought 'Huh. Showed more restraint then I thought he would.'

Connor glanced back and said, "If you want to challenge me again, then feel free. But know this. If you insist on trying again, I will kill you."

Then he walked towards the group while Cirucci was seething. Defeated, by a _human,_ who then proceeded to mock her?!

"YOU…WILLL…PAY!", she screamed at the top of her lungs. She jerked her tail out of the ground and hurled it towards Connors back. he whirled around, but just before it hit, Dante appeared and blocked the strike with the flat of his blade, holding it for support. Cirucci struggled to force him back, furious on why her tail wasn't cutting through his sword and shouted "What is that made of!?"

"Brightsteel." Dante said. "One of the most durable metals ever created and forged by my father." Then he sliced his blade down, cutting the tail in half. Cirucci struggled to get up and remain awake, but was too weak and collapsed face down into the sand, going back to her sealed state.

Dante sheathed his blade again while Connor said, "You know I could've blocked that."

Dante simply smirked and said, "You're welcome."

"Well done, both of you." Aizen said. "You've both satisfied the first condition for joining. Now all that's left is to satisfy the second."

Dante looked down at his clothes, which were a little shredded and asked, "But first, can we quickly change our clothes? It wouldn't do to fight without proper garb."

Azien smiled and said "Why not? All that I ask is that you don't change your current weapons. It wouldn't do to fight with a different weapon to give you an advantage in the next fights."

Dante said, "Of course."

Then everyone dispersed. Connor and Dante walked back to the TARDIS, which Dante unlocked with his key and go inside while Connor waited outside, while the Espada used sonido to go back to their palaces to wait, but Azien said, "Szayel. A word."

Szayel walked to Azien and bowed to Azien as he said, "Yes master?"

Azien smiled and said, "I was wondering about your take on the battle."

Szayel straightened out and looked excited in his sick way as he said "I've never seen such powers master. The sword that Dante used was incredible, to withstand the cutting power of Cirucci's blade, and able to slice through Ganten's armor. I suspect that the blade may have more attributes and powers, but Dante may be holding them in reserve."

Gin smirked and said, "Well, seems the kid knows the advantage of an ace up his sleeve. Smart."

Azien said, "And Connor?"

Szayel glanced at Connor who was leaning against the TARDIS with his eyes hidden from view.

"His claymore doesn't seem to be anything special, but the cloak is very powerful having the power of teleporting, which he can use to transfer objects and himself, but it's too simple. I suspect it has other powers as well, but he may be holding them back."

Gin shook his head. "So many wild cards." He said. "What a pain. Cant life just be simple?"

Azien smiled and said, "If life was simple, then we would never have these events in the first place."

And then the time passed, until it was time for the fight with Baraggan's fraccion.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_20 minutes later_

All of the Espada and their fraccion had regrouped and we waiting for Dante while Connor hadn't moved the entire time. Baraggan was growing impatient as he waited for Dante to get out of the TARDIS and growled, "Little brat thinks he can keep us waiting all day."

"Somebody talking about me? My ears are ringing."

Dante walked out, his clothes changed into a different style. He had a black hoodie unzipped to show a red inside. His shirt was a dark red while a shape in lighter red was in the center of the shirt. It looked like a fist holding a lightning bolt, then the entire design surrounded by a circle. The jeans were a little more form fitting, but still had the sword belt. He was also wearing black and red sneakers.

Connor pushed himself off the TARDIS and said, "You sure took your sweet time."

Dante shrugged and said, "Hey, you know how much clothing I got. Hard to make up my mind."

Baraggan was grounding his teeth in anger. This brat's behavior was getting on his nerves.

Dante noticed this and said, "But I think we better get ready, since old man Baraggan here looks ready to blow a blood vessel."

Baraggan snarled, "Do not mock me child!"

Dante said, "Then let's hurry up and fight the fraccion you choose for us then. Or shall we listen to you talk all day?"

Tier smirked slightly beneath her mask. She had greatly disliked Baraggan since the time they were regular hollows, but seeing this boy antagonize him made her like him just a little bit.

Baraggan snarled. He would put this whelp in his place right now, but he knew Azien would never allow it. He would have to satisfy himself for having his fraccion crush them.

"Fine. Who will fight first?"

Dante and Connor looked at each other. Dante asked, "Best of three?"

"Why not?"

Both of them held out a fist and said, "Rock, paper, scissors!"

Everybody sweat dropped, even Azien. They were deciding with a game of rock paper scissors?

Connor said, "Guess I'm going first."

Baraggan looked at his fraccion, trying to decide who to use. Finddor was strategist of his group, but his rapier wouldn't be much use against Connor's speed, and if he used his release state, Connor's cloak would put him at an advantage. He looked at the tallest of his fraccion, Poww. His true power would crush Connor, but then the others would say he was a coward for not sending out someone Connor could hold his own against. Then he decided.

"Charlotte! Do my bidding and crush him!"

Connor noticed everyone except Azien and gin winced as Baraggan shouted that, even Dante. Then Dante shoot him a look that said "S_orry, but better you then me."_

Connor was about to ask who the heck Charlotte was when he heard "OKAY, OKAY, OKAY! HIS MAJESTYS MOST EXCELLENT AND BUETIFUL FIGHTER IS HERE!"

'What the hell!?' Connor thought.

Somebody jumped out of the group and did several forward flips then landed on the ground in a crouch before standing up ad throwing their head back with their arms at their side. The person shouted, "AND NOW WE MUST ENGAGE IN WONDERFUL BATTLE!"

Then he looked at Connor, giving him a full look at his opponent. And there was only one thought in his mind.

'If Dante lost on purpose so I had to fight **him**, I will give him never ending hell!'

Because Charlotte was a large, bulky, and muscular Arrancar, with his mannerisms and dress style bordering on those of a stereotypical drag queen. He had long, wavy purple hair, large glossy lips, icy blue eyes, and curly long eyelashes. While his Hollow hole wasn't not visible, his Hollow mask remnants resembled a small tiara with horns, and his Arrancar outfit was customized with feminine motifs.

Dante quickly patted Connor on the shoulder and said, "Good luck. Sorry you had to fight him."

Connor growled, "Dante…!"

"That's my cue, got to go!"

Dante used his speed to quickly put himself out of arms reach of Connor and stood next to Tier and her fraccion again, all of whom were looking at him like he was nuts, except Tier.

Charlotte looked at Connor and said, "Well, it seems I must fight someone with his cloak looking like a beautiful piece of the night sky. So I must outclass you in power and beauty. Well, I think I'll manage both." He finished with a wink.

Connor would've turned even paler then he was if he could. As it was he looked like he was going to puke. He may have seen a lot of disturbing and disgusting things in his long life, both in his universe and the ones he had traveled to with Dante, but this… this was just so _wrong_!

Charlotte drew his blade, a typical kanta but with flowers for the guard, and kissed the flat of the blade as he said, "Shall we begin?" with a wink.

"Yes." Connor said as he drew his claymore. He looked at the blade and saw the slice from his pervious fight. That would prove to be a problem. But he didn't have time to think on it as Charlotte leapt in the air, spun once, then fell towards Conner with his sword down as he shouted, "Beautiful Charlotte Chuhlhourne's Miracle Sweet Ultra Funky Fantastic Dramatic Romantic Sadistic Erotic Exotic Athletic Guillotine Attack!"

Connor was put of by all the long, useless descriptions he almost forget to dodge. He pushed himself backwards as Charlotte hit the ground, sending up a blast of sand. Connors eyes widened. Okay, this guy was cracked in the head, but he was strong.

The sand cleared to show Charlotte still kneeling and looked at Connor. He smirked as he said, "I see my beautiful attack has rendered you speechless."

Connor said "Uh, not really." Then preceded to charge and slash at charlotte, but he blocked his attack with ease while Charlotte said, "No, no, no. its ugly to attack when I'm not done talking."

"Then this is probably ugly as well," Connor said as he took a hand of his claymore to punch charlotte in the jaw, sending him skidding backwards. Connor shook his hand and thought 'Damn hierro. That guy's skin felt like I was punching iron._'_

Charlotte rubbed his jaw and said, "Oh, that was a low blow. How can you stand being so ugly?"

"I might ask you the same thing?" Connor replied as he then charged to clash blades again. Charlotte looked outraged as he shouted, "You think I'm ugly?! You, you foul creature, have the nerve to call me ugly?!"

"You do love to talk, don't you?"

Then he knocked Charlotte's blade aside and sliced at his head, only for him to duck. But he felt something get sliced by Connor's blade and looked up to see a chunk of hair float down. This is when Charlotte lost it.

"YOU EVIL, UGLY CREATURE!" Charlotte shouted as he punched Connor straight in the gut, causing his breath to go out in a woof along with a fair bit of blood before he went skidding back and then fell to all fours, coughing up blood and clutching his stomach.

Baraggan smiled as he said, "That humans done for."

"I feel like a broken record sometimes. Don't be so sure."

Baraggan looked at Dante who was glaring at Baraggan. Baraggan laughed as he said, "Charlotte's anger has been awakened. That man can't hope to win now."

Dante rose a finger and said, "As Connor said before funny thing about anger, you let it consume you…" Dante looked back at the battle, seeing Charlotte still ranting while Connor seemed unable to move.

"…and you will lose sight of everything."

Charlotte stood before Connor and shouted, "IF YOU ATTACK MY BEAUTY, THEN I SHOW NO MERCY!"

Connor tried to slash with his claymore, but charlotte swung his blade far faster, hitting the blade and cracking it into two as the cut from earlier grew through the entire blade. Then Charlotte swung his sword again to knock the other half out of Connor's hand. He sneered and said, "You don't deserve to live after what you just did. Time to end this."

He jumped back 40 feet and got into a stance, feet spread apart and his hands in a heart shape over his cheast. The space in it glowed violet as he shouted, "Beautiful Charlotte Chuhlhourne's Final Holy Wonderful Pretty Super Magnum Sexy Sexy Glamourous Cero!"

The attack blast out of the space in his hands and flew towards Connor, seemingly immobilized with pain.

Baraggan smiled evilly and said, "He's dead."

The attack seemingly hit and covered Connor in dust and sand as it billowed about, leaving nothing to be seen.

"So much for your friend." Baraggan sneered.

Dante was just watching with his arms crossed as he said "Yes. But it's not his death I'm concerned with."

Baraggan looked confused. "What?"

"I'm more concerned if he'll stop holding back now."

A sharp crack was heard and Baraggan whipped his head around to see a crack in the air behind charlotte. He whirled around just in time for a right cross to the face, sending him flying back to hit the ground.

Dante grinned and said, "Ah. There he is."

Then the crack spread around the fist until the air seemed to shatter, showing Connor, surrounded by his cloak which morphed into its normal shape again. Charlotte tried to get up, but Connor appeared beside him, grabbed him by his uniform and threw him upwards. As charlotte reached maximum height, 40 feet up, Conner appeared above him, leg on his opposite side and ready to spin kick. Charlotte was looking at him in disbelief as Connor said, "Game over!"

Then he spun and kicked charlotte in his stomach area, charlottes mouth open in a silent shout as he felt one or 2 ribs fracture, but he was sent flying down spinning and hit the ground like a train, sending up a explosion of sand. Connor landed lightly, his cloak wrapping around him to hide his body as the sand cleared, showing Charlotte to be apparently dead. Then he coughed and curled up, coughing in pain. Conner said, "I held back, and with some healing you'll be back to new in no time. But remember this. Since you seem to seek beauty in everything, remember that sometimes, looking past the ugly surface can yield some beautiful insides."

Then Connor walked away from the crater while Dante waked past him to examine charlotte. Dante muttered as he walked past, "Well done."

Conner didn't give any sign that he heard as he walked to Azien and bowed as he said, "I believe this means I'm allowed to join your army, correct?"

Azien smiled in amusement as he looked at Dante, who was examining charlotte, then helping him stand. "Yes. That satisfies the conditions you needed to enter. Welcome to the Arrancar army, Conner Smith."

Dante helped charlotte get back to his fraccion as he said, "He'll be fine, but if you have any healers, he'll need to see them. He's got some fractured ribs and a little internal bleeding. Nothing fatal, but painful."

Charlotte coughed and wheezed out, "Why are you helping me?"

Dante smirked as he said, "Well it wouldn't do to let someone whom I might fight beside die. That's just plain rude."

Carrollton looked at him. He seemed to be telling the truth. Charlotte smiled and said "thank you."

"No problem."

Charlotte then managed to stand up and say, "May you have luck in your next fight."

"Speaking of which…" Dante said he disappeared, re appeared about 50 feet out from the groups again, and then he turned to Baraggan whose face was blank while inside he was seething. "…whom will _I_ be fighting?"

Baraggan looked between his remaining fraccion. He could use Vega, who loved a fight, and had speed on his side, but he lacked power. Plus Dante was obviously quick as well, and his speed might surpass that of Vega. Then his eyes landed on Abirama Redder. His true forms power would give him 2 distinct advantages. And since he was battle crazy, he wouldn't let Dante have time to think. Perfect.

"Abirama Redder! Go forth and crush this whelp!"

The man in question was interesting to look at. Unlike other Arrancar, Abirama did not wear a jacket, leaving the numerous red tattoos across his chest exposed. He did wear two white sleeves on his wrists, a white hakama, a white breechcloth, and a black sash around his waist, while his mask remains had taken the form of a beak-like helmet atop his head, with long black hair in a messy ponytail out the back of it and under the sides. His Hollow hole wasn't visible, and his dark gold eyes were the same color as an eagle.

"YES MASTER! IT SHALL BE DONE!"

Then he leapt out OF the groups and landed 20 feet from Dante, who drew his sword and held it ready IN one hand. Redder bent over and shouted at Dante "ALL RIGHT, GONNA SMASH YOU, GONNA CRUSH YOU, GONNA KILL YOU!"

Dante blinked. "Uumm… what the hell is that?"

Redder straightened and said, "What are you, stupid!? It's a ceremony to get us ready to fight! Are you an idiot!?"

"Hhmm. Well to each his own I guess. Can we start now?"

Redder snorted. "You're an idiot! No we can't start until you do your own part! So hurry it up!"

Dante sighed. He knew he might as well get this over with and said, "Very well."

He held up a fist in front of his mouth and coughed, clearing his throat, then he glanced upwards, seemingly thinking. Then the next thing redder knew, he had been tackled by Dante, who put a knee on his chest and his sword at his throat as he shouted "NOW YOU LISTEN HERE REDDER! IF YOU EVER THREATEN ME AGAIN, I WILL RIP YOUR SPINE OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, AND THEN BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH IT!"

Redder was quite shocked at the change in personality, as was everyone else there, even Azien, but Redder just grinned again and shouted, "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

Dante felt Redder punch him in the stomach and Dante got pushed off from the force. Redder brought his legs back and kicked Dante in the chest next, sending him flying. Dante did a flip in midair and skidded back as he landed. He looked up with a snarl on his face as redder got up and shouted "NOW WE CAN HAVE A REAL FIGHT!"

He drew his sword and shouted, "Scalp, Águila!"

He was covered in a blast of sand, then it settled to show his new form. He now had a white eagle's head, which left his mouth visible inside the beak, with black streaks running down it, and his black hair extending to his lower back. His body was covered in red feathers, and his arms and feet had become bird-like with sharp talons. To complete the look, he had gained large bird wings on his back, and his exposed chest was covered in various tattoo markings.

"Time to get your wings clipped!" Dante said.

Redder smiled and shouted, "Not likely! Devorar Pluma!"

Several feathers began shooting at Dante at high speed. He quickly dodged to the side as the first one few past. He heard a thoom and looked back to see the feather had carved a trench 40 feet through the sand. He looked back and dodged all the others, either by ducking or jumping through, showing incredible control. When the last one flew past he stood and said, "I see. Your feathers, how much do they weigh?"

Redder smiled under his helmet and said "Smart man. They each weigh 10 tons each, and made of steel! There's no way you can win. Especially not when I attack from the sky!"

And with that he flapped his wings several times, rapidly climbing until he had a bird's eye view of the battle **(A/N: pun intended)**. Dante gritted his teeth, though inside he was calm. He already had a plan, using his swords special power. One that nobody here besides Connor would know.

Dante was pulled from his thoughts as several feathers hit around him, sending up the sand like mines. Dante scolded himself for becoming distracted and begaqn to run towards onre of the nearby towers.

"COWARD! COME ACK AND FIGHT!"

Redder began to fly after him, firing feathers all the way.

Baraggan snorted and said, "So, he's just weak after all. This will be over soon."

"Do you ever get tired of being wrong?"

Baraggan looked at Connor who was watching and said, "Dante's no fool. He's got a plan, and I'd bet he'll be doing it soon."

Baraggan snarled. "Do not get cocky human. I don't…"

"And I'm tired of you calling me a human, _old man_." Connor snarled in a deep voice as he glared at Baraggan. He looked shocked by the insult as Connor stormed towards him and said, "You call me human because of how I appear don't you? You think that because I am a vampire, I would have started as human, and therefore fundamentally different from you. Maybe I am, but I have been through more in my life then you could ever hope for and could ever dread of. So stop calling me a human. Because if you keep it up, I will not hesitate to end you."

Baraggan and Connor glared at each other until they felt a slight weight on them. Azien said, "Careful Connor. You may be a valuable fighter, but I can't have you threating my other soldiers."

Connor gave Baraggan one last glare before he said, "Forgive me, I… I let my anger get the better of me."

Then he heard several thooms again and saw that Dante had almost reached the tower.

"Now, time to see Dante win this thing."

Dante was running full tilt towards the tower, Redder firing feathers one after another as redder shouted "Come on, hurry up and fight!"

Dante stopped suddenly and looked up at redder. he held his sword in both hands and in front of him as he said, "My pleasure. Tell me Redder, did I ever tell you the name of this blade?"

Redder paused for a minute, confused as Dante went on.

"Of course not. If I had, you would've been treated to a show. See my blades name is also the command for its special power. And my blades name is… **BRISINGR(bri-sing-er)!"**

With that shout, the air around Dante's blade rippled slightly before it exploded with blue flames. The flames roiled around it, licking the air with their molten touch, before settling down around Dante's blade, an aura of fire.

Redder was surprised for a second before laughing and saying, "So what?! So your blade can burst into flames! You can't hope to melt my feathers!" and fired about 10 right at Dante.

Dante narrowed his eyes and shouted, "HHHAAAA!"

As he did so, the flames around his blade began changing from dark blue to a much lighter shade, about the same as the sky on a clear day. As the feathers whistled towards Dante, he jumped at them, spinning as he did so with the sword stuck out. Dante dodged most of them, but 2 got hit by his sword, and instead of knocking them aside, it sliced clear through them, the edges of the feathers hissing and glowing molten red. As the feathers hit, Dante landed in a crouch with his head bowed and blade outstretched before looking up at Redder. He looked shocked as he stammered "How…how…how…?"

"I can change the temperature of the flames at will, from slightly warm to hotter then a bone fire. And the blade is treated to prevent it from melting down at any temperature, providing the perfect flaming blade. Now…" he held the blade up, looking over it as he said "…time to end this."

He charged towards redder, who fired feather after feather at Dante. He blurred every time one was about to hit him, dodging with ease until he was about 20 feet from Redder in length, but redder was still 40 feet in the air. When Dante reached 20, he stopped and crouched, concentrating his physical energy in his legs, before he leapt upwards, sailing through the air easily. As redder saw him approach, he tried to dodge out of the way, but was too slow as Dante sailed past and sliced one of his wings in half, right in the middle. Redder cried out in pain and fell to the ground, his feathers increasing his fall, and hit the ground with a massive rumble, while Dante landed, his sword outstretched beside him. As he stood, the flames withered and died away, allowing him to sheath it easily.

Baraggan and the other Espada looked surprised at the ability that Dante's sword had shown, except Baraggan also looked like he was ready to tear down the entire base in his fury.

Dante felt Redder's power decrease as he was sealed again and turned to see the dust clearing again, showing redder with a gash in his shoulder, though not too deep and cauterized. Redder was looking up at the sky and smiling like a maniac. Dante approached him and said, looking down at him, "Enjoying the view?"

"You beat me. I went as hard as I could and you still won."

Dante smirked and said, "Nice try, but I know that you could've grown another 2 wings to increase mobility. But you didn't because you were enjoying tormenting me from above."

Redder smirked back and said, "Maybe." He started to get up, but Dante held out his hand to help him up. Redder considered it for a minute, then grabbed it as Dante helped redder up. He winced a little and touched his shoulder and Dante said, "Keep that clean and it should heal in no time. You may have a scar though."

Redder shrugged. "I don't care. If you go through life without getting a scar here and there…"

"…then you're a coward or worse. I know somebody who said the exact same thing. Full of other funny sayings as well." Dante said.

"Well, let's head back."

Redder used sonido while Dante simply used his natural speed to go back to the group. Azien looked impressed as he said, "Well done Dante. You have satisfied the conditions and are now allowed to join. Congratulations."

Dante bowed his head and said, "Thank you, I…"

He was cut off as he heard a sharp crack from Baraggan's fraccion and whipped his head around to see Baraggan had punched redder in the face, redder lying on the ground with a bruise forming on his face as Baraggan yelled "How can you lose?! I told you to crush that whelp, and what do you do!? You lose, and let him make a fool of you!"

"Master, he…" Charlotte said.

Baraggan whirled around and grabbed Charlotte's outfit with one hand, throwing him towards redder where he landed beside him. He started shouting "And you Charlotte, I expected you to win! Yet you both lost, against my orders!"

Dante's hand was clenching on his blade hilt in anger as Baraggan finally shouted, "You are both banished from my fraccion!"

Both Redder and Charlotte looked devastated as Baraggan started kicking at them, shouting, "My fraccion has no room for weaklings that cannot defeat a single opponent, despite have a clear advantage! You are both pieces of garbage unfit to wipe my shoes with, you…"

He was stopped as he tried to kick redder again, only to find his kick blocked with Dante's sword, his arm set against the flat side of it as he was knelt in front of Redder and Charlotte, looking up at Baraggan with rage in his eyes. He growled "Stop it Baraggan. Now!" he finished with a shove, sending Baraggan off balance and stumbling back a step before he got his balance back.

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do, you _hybrid_. You have no right to tell me what to do." Baraggan growled.

"I have every right!" Dante snarled back. "Your fraccion may have lost. Fine. Because they lost one battle each does not mean you can treat them like garbage, brutalize them, simply because of that!"

He got in Baraggan's face and said "After all, you must have lost at some point, 'god of Hueco Mundo'."

Baraggan snarled. That was a sore point. He had lost to Azien, allowing Azien to take over Hueco Mundo and gather this force of Espada, but Baraggan had never been able to stomach it.

"Now I'm going to be brutally clear." Dante said, stepping back to fully look at Baraggan. "Keep your anger under control, and don't think you can treat your fraccion like this, or I swear the second I fix my TARDIS, I will go back in time and make sure you never rose to become the god of Hueco Mundo."

Everyone watched this battle of wills, with tier feeling slightly smug at seeing someone beside Azien talk to Baraggan like that, and who could back up a threat like that.

Azien clapped his hand and said "Well, hat was interesting, but Dante, I'm afraid must also ask you to restrain yourself. It wouldn't do to lose my 2nd most powerful Espada."

Dante glared at Baraggan one last time and said, "Of course Azien. I will."

He walked past Charlotte and Redder, who had picked themselves up, and as he did he heard them mutter "Thank you," at the same time.

Azien said, "Now, Dante, I believe that you and Connor both have to choose a fraccion to join, and if the fraccion and their Espada agree, then you will be part of that fraccion unless you show yourselves to be deserving of higher or lower ranks. Have you made a pick?"

Dante and Connor meet eyes and Connor nodded before they both looked at Azien and Dante said "We have Azien."

Dante took a deep breath. This was going to change everything, and set his entire plan in motion. If she didn't accept, then this would get extremely complicated.

"We would like to join Tier's fraccion."

Azien rose his eye brow but said, "Very well. Tier, do you or your fraccion have any objections?"

Tier couldn't think of any reason on why she would reject. Truth be told, she approved of much Dante had done, putting Baraggan in his place, using his head in battle to make plans, and his analytically abilities were quite high. She thought he would make a fine fraccion, but she just turned to her fraccion and said, "Girls, do you have any objections?"

Her fraccion shifted uncomfortably, but they couldn't think of a reason he shouldn't join. Sure it was a little weird that he wanted to join a fraccion of all girls, but Sung-Sun shook her head ad said, "We have no object mistress."

Tier looked at Azien and said, "Nor do I."

Nntoria snorted. "Choosing a woman to work besides. Weakling."

"Then care to explain why she's number 3 while your 5 then?" Dante said in a conversational tone.

Nntoria rose his scythe with a snarl and Dante said, "Try it. My father was very powerful when he trained me for 300 years and I've fought quite a few things that he managed to make in that time. You don't scare me."

Nntoria said nothing, but he kept his eye on Dante.

Dante turned back to Tier and bowed at the hip, saying, "It's a honor to join your fraccion, Tier."

Tier bowed her head in respect and replied, "And a honor for you to join, Dante Price and Connor Smith."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It was now about an hour after the battles and Dante had managed to get the coordinates to move the TARDIS into the room that Tier had told them was theirs, and since then, they had told tier they would be a little busy. In the meantime, Tier and her fraccion had just finished up a training exercise and were heading back to their rooms.

Tier wasn't saying anything while Mila Rose and Appaci were bickering back and forth.

"Well, I still managed to get you in the back!" Appaci yelled.

"Maybe, but only because you kicked sand into my face from before!" Mila Rose yelled back. "Besides, I managed to get two hits in your stomach and leg!"

Sung-Sun sighed and said, "Can you both be quiet? It's unbecoming to be so verbal."

"Shut up Sung-Sun, nobody asked you!" they both shouted.

As they did, they were walking past Dante and Connor's room and stopped when they heard some sort of clanging, followed by what sounded like an electric shock and Dante's voice saying, "OW! Damn electrical grid."

Tier's fraccion looked at each other, then Tier, but she looked just as confused. She slowly opened the door to see the TARDIS standing in the middle of the room, between the two beds, just as they heard Connor yell, "Dante, where does this go?"

"Just set it there for the moment, and then can you pull that lever next to you?"

Tier knocked on the door and called, "Dante? Everything all right in there?"

"Tier? Didn't hear you get back. Yeah everything's fine, just uumm… Connor! DON'T PULL THAT LEVER!"

"But you said to pull this one…."

"NONONONONONONO….."

BOOM!

Tier and her fraccion stumbled a little as they felt the floor shake as black smoke and Dante cry, "DAMN IT!" came from inside the TARDIS.

"What are you two doing in there!?" Appaci and Mila rose shouted as they banged on the doors.

Dante shouted "Coming through!" and they heard 2 sets of feet thumping on what sounded like metal coming towards the door.

Tier grabbed Mila Rose and Appaci by the collars and pulled them to the side as the doors burst open and Connor and Dante hurled out, both coughing as they were bent over at the waist. Dante was wearing what looked like a black smiths apron, some sort of wielding goggles, and some thick leather gloves while also having wiring sticking out of the pockets and over his arms. Connor was dressed the same as earlier but without his cloak and his sleeves rolled up, and his glasses still on. Both were blackened, but Connor enough to make it look like he got some color while Dante now looked pitch black.

Dante managed to get his breath back and said while still wheezing slightly, "Connor, I told you not to pull that lever!"

"You said, and I quote 'pull that lever next to you.'" Connor shot back.

"Yes, but the green one, not the blue. Blue was for when I was finished, now you've blown the dooms day buffers, that's going to take hours to fix."

"Oh please, you can fix those easily, the only thing you ever have trouble with is the time compressor."

"STOP!"

Dante and Connor froze, then slowly turned to look at tier, who was holding her hands out with her eyes closed and said, "Just… wait a minute."

Tier put her hands on either side of her nose and pressed them together like a prayer, took a deep breath, put her hands down, opened her eyes and said, "Now. What happened?"

"Yeah," said Appaci. "and what the heck was that explosion and… why are you dressed like that?" she asked Dante, taking in his rather…_unique _attire.

Dante looked at them all quickly. "Uuhh, hold that thought." He said, holding up his index finger. He pushed open the doors, the smoke making it impossible to see inside, the door swung shut behind him, and they heard him shout, "Extractor fans on!"

They heard a rumble, then a whoosh that went on and on.

"What's he doing?" Mila Rose asked.

"Clearing the air," Connor said. "otherwise you'd be inhaling smoke. Have a good training secession?" he finished, clapping his hands.

Sung-Sun said, "Uuhh, fine, but how the heck does he…?"

Connor held up his hand. "If you're about to ask something that has anything to do with the inside of the TARDIS, then I can't answer."

Then they heard the whoosh cut out and Dante call, "Okay, airs clear, come on in."

Connor blinked then said, "Hhmm. Looks like you're getting a real treat today."

Tier asked, "What's going on?" feeling completely lost. And she did not like the feeling.

Connor smirked and said, "Welcome…"

He pushed open the door. "…to the TARDIS."

All of their mouths dropped open. Well, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Appaci's did, nobody could tell if Tier's did, but he wide eyes were a sign she was shocked.

They all slowly walked in, taking in the sight around them while Dante was working at the console in the middle, tapping and pulling as he said, "Okay, looks like we lost about 10% power, but that all right, easy enough to replenish that much."

Appaci was turning as she said, "How…how…how..."

"It's dimensionally transcendental." Dante answered. "Meaning its bigger on the inside, was just in the middle of repairs when you guys came knocking. Should be easy enough to fix what was shorted out though…"

"So, this is your time machine? How on earth is this possible?" Sung-Sun asked.

Dante smiled and said, "Ah, well that is the question isn't it. You see, the time lords weren't just time travelers, they were inventors, as one would have to be to invent time travel. Now time travel is one of the biggest things in the universe, if you could invent that…well then what else can you invent?"

He waited for a minute to let that sink in, then he clapped his hands and said, "Well, you can invent a dimensionally transcendental room, you could invent a window in time, and you could also invent this."

He grabbed a sheet of paper and a pencil, wrote for a second, then gave it to them and said, "Read this."

They took it and all looked, but it was all jumbled and dense, like some sort of child scribble.

"You can't can you?"

"No…." Appaci said.

Dante smirked, went to the console and pushed a few buttons, pulled a lever, and said, "Now try."

They all looked back at the sheet of paper, and saw the writing wiggle. They all blinked, but the lines shifted and squirmed until they formed the words, "_Dante price, time traveler and fraccion of Tier Harribel."_

"How did you do that?" Tier asked.

Dante smiled and said, "The time lords thought of this long ago." He started pacing back and forth as he went on. "You see, most time lords loved to explore, going to other places and times in the universe, and it occurred to them that, eventually, in some place and time, they would find life."

Tier and her fraccion were captivated as he went on.

"Now, humans think that earth is the only planet capable of sustaining life, but that's just not true. You have an entire universe, so large and full of so many stars, thinking that we're alone is insane. But there is a problem. These life forms, they would most likely be different from us, in fundamental ways, with an entire history, and system of writing, and speaking. How would you talk to them? The answer is simple. A universal translator. In fact, you've been using it right now without knowing it."

"What?"

Dante pushed a button and said "Listen. This is the entire conversation I just did with the translator off."

They heard tier's voice over a speaker ask, "_How did you do that?"_

Then they heard several noises, what sounded like a buzzing, then hissing, several clicks, and then a groan. Then it stopped.

"That was you?" Mila Rose asked, looking incredulous.

Dante looked extremely pleased as he said, "Multi-lingual. Dad always said I should learn to speak other languages."

"Yeah like Spanish or… or French, not alien." Appaci stuttered out.

"Yeah well, what are you going to do?" he said with a shrug.

Tier put her finger to her temples. This was just… too much.

"Now, I think I'll show you around a little."

Connor rose an eyebrow. "Really? Don't you think they've had enough excitement for the day?"

Dante looked shocked as he said, "You can never have too much excitement."

He whirled around and waved his arm as he said, "Follow me. And don't get lost; it'd take days to find you in here."

They followed while Appaci asked nobody in particular, "He's joking right?"

Mila Rose said, "No, I don't think he is."

And so it went. First stop…

"Okay, here is the library."

He pulled open the single wood door to show a place that was as high as a church and so far back you couldn't see the end. The group walked in looking up and around as he said, "You name a book, and I can almost promise I have it."

He whirled around and said, "Come on, anyone?"

"Uumm… first edition of Frankenstein?" Sung-Sun said.

"Ah, one of my favorites, hang on."

He went to a nearby shelf and said, "First edition Frankenstein, signed."

As they looked up, they saw a single thick book lift off the shelf and float down to Dante's hand. He handed it to Sung-Sun and she opened it to see the title and that it was indeed first edition. Then she saw it was signed as well, saying "_To my dear friends Dante Price and Connor Smith, for giving me the adventure of a life time."_

She looked up and said, "You helped her write this?"

"Write? No, no, no. Always loved writing, but haven't done any for a while. No, I meet the author, took him on a little adventure that turned into that book. Jumped forward to get it signed."

Sung-Sun put a hand to her head as she said, "I'm getting a head ache."

"Well, it's about to get worse, come on."

Next were the swimming pool room, dance room, music room, and infirmary. Here it was rows after rows of white sterile beds, and with cabinets beside them that, when opened, had exactly what was need by the person. Connor used it as a quick stop to grab a blood pack and pour the contents in a wine glass which he drank.

"That is incredibly disgusting." Mila Rose said.

Connor finished and wiped his mouth as he said, his teeth and lips red, "Well, that's the life of me. Being a vampire means I need blood every now and then. Can't be helped."

They headed back to the control room where Dante finished with a turn, clap, and said, "And that's everything we could see today. Any questions?"

"Just one." Tier said. "Being in this place for longer than… a month maybe, this would drive anyone insane. How are you not a madman?"

He chuckled and shook his head, saying "Oh Tier, that is just what my mom asked when she meet dad. Do you know what he said?"

Tier shook her heads slowly.

"I'm not just a madman. I'm a madman in a box."

They all stared at him and they could see the twinkle of madness in his eye, but not angry, but rather…_ cheerful._

Dante then said, "Well, happy to show you around, but I have a little bit of work to do before Azien calls a meeting, so off you go."

The girls walked out, still stunned as to what they had seen in this 'tiny' box in the course of a day. Tier stopped at the door and looked back to see Dante working at the panels again, taking one out to look at the wiring underneath and she asked "Dante?"

He looked up with his goggles in place and said, "Yeah?"

She paused for a second and asked, "This…TARDIS. How did you dad get something like this? From what little you've said, it doesn't sound like he got it through the normal ways. Or whatever's normal for time lords."

Dante paused for a momment and said, "He borrowed it."

Tier looked at him, but he didn't change his expression as she said, "All right. Also I'll expect to see you tomorrow for a training session."

"Sure. Bye Tier."

She left then and he stared at the door until Connor bumped his shoulder and said, "You really know how to pick them."

"What?"

"You like her."

Dante shook his head and pulled out some wire cutters as he said, "No, no, it's not like that."

Connor gave him a dead serious look as he said, "Dante, do I need to remind you how old I am?"

Dante stopped, sighed and said, "No, no you do not."

"So what's holding you back?" Connor asked.

Dante took of his goggles and threw them down as he leaned on the console and said, "You know why. Unless we can get this to work, we can't get through to them. If I try now, and fail, it'll have dire consequences and put the entire human race and soul society in terrible danger."

Connor held up his arms and said, "All right, you win."

Dante put his goggles back on and started fiddling with the wires again as he asked, "Oh, and can you make sure the red button is pushed?"

"Sure. Just hang on a minute."

Dante made a connection. "Well?"

"Yeah it's pushed."

Dante touched the wire he was waiting for and was treated with a small shock that sent him flying of the platform and hitting the ground. He groaned and yelled, "Connor!"

Connor appeared above with his arms crossed as he said, "In your own words, we all need to be childish once in a while."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Dante was just coming from taking a shower in plain black jeans, Nike sneakers, and was putting on his t-shirt when he heard a knock at the door of the TARDIS.

"It's open." He called, putting on his white muscle shirt and stopping to look at one of the panels.

The door opened to admit tier, who said, "Good morning Dante."

He looked at her and said, "Good morning, or should I say night?"

She smirked under her collar and said, "I take it you remember that I told you about a training session today?"

Dante clapped his hands. "Yes, just let me quickly grab something to use. Connor!" he called down the hallway he had just come from.

"What?!" they heard back.

"Tier is here, says it's time for the training."

"I'll be there in a minute, can't I even brush my teeth without you calling me?!"

Dante turned and said, "Sorry, he's always so touchy in the morning. I'll be right back."

He walked off down another hall, leaving tier to look around. Her eyes locked on the console and she slowly walked up to it. They made absolutely no sense to her at all, and she found her hand slowly moving towards a rather large one with a black handle. **(A/N: It's the one The Doctor throws to get into the time vortex)**

"I wouldn't touch that."

She jumped slightly and saw Connor coming in in the same clothes as yesterday, though not torn and ragged, leaning against the door way. He pushed off and walked towards her saying, "Anything on that console is likely to kill you if you don't know how to use it."

She looked back at it and asked, "Do you?"

Connor said, "You really want the truth?"

Tier nodded slowly, "Yes."

He looked between it and her, then said, "I have no clue. Only Dante and his dad knew how to work this thing, and frankly I don't think she likes me."

"She?"

Before Connor could explain, Dante said, "Okay, I'm back."

Dante came out of the passage, now in a regular black hoodie, complete with a X logo on the right shoulder. The hoodie was zipped up halfway as Dante said, "Shall we go?"

"Yes, lets."

They left the TARDIS, Dante taking a moment to lock the door with the key from yesterday. They went down to the same area as yesterday to find Appaci, Mila rose, and Sung-Sun already there. "Morning, how are all of you?" Dante greeted cheerfully.

They all muttered "Fine," but they all seemed a little tense. Dante noticed this and thought, 'Okay, maybe I went a little overboard yesterday showing them around.'

"Shall we start?" Tier asked.

"Hm? Oh yes."

Connor and the others beside Dante went 40 feet away to watch while Tier walked 20 feet away from him and turned on heel, drawing her blade from its sheath across her back. She put her index finger through one of the 3 hoops at the end of it and pulled, unsheathing the blade and then spinning it to grab the handle. The blade was normal shape except for one thing. The inside was completely hollow, leaving only the outside line.

"Huh. That's a new one."

Tier jerked her head and asked, "What's your weapon?"

"Hang on," Dante said. "Got 'em right here."

He put his hands inside the hoodie and then brought them out to show a sai clenched in each one, the middle blade gold while the outer 2 were silver. He whirled them around in his hands, both of them making a high pitch whine/squeal until he stopped, ready in a stance.

"He uses Sai?!" Sung-Sun asked, shocked since that was her own Zanpakutō.

Connor chuckled and said, "His father was serious in training him. You name it, he can use it."

Tier noticed this and said, "Interesting choice of weapons."

Dante smirked and said, "Interesting is my middle name. Shall we?"

Tier lifted her blade. "Let's."

They both watched for a minute, Dante moving his Sai slowly while tier kept her eyes on him, neither making a single move. Then they both charged forward, Dante's arm at either side while tier brought her blade back. They meet in the middle with Dante using his Sai in a X to block tiers blade. They trembled for a minute until Dante broke the block by pushing upwards, and then jabbed with his Sai. Tier whirled out of the way and slashed diagonally downwards to his shoulder. He blocked with his first Sai, then tried a slash with the other, but tier ducked. Dante spun on his heel and kicked with his foot, but Tier grabbed his foot and pulled it to the side, knocking him off balance. She tried a slash, but he blocked and pushed off, getting into the air, as tier still held his other leg. He kicked outwards at her face, but Tier blocked with the hilt of her sword and pushed his leg, sending him skidding back. He stopped and stood while Tier spun into a stand. Dante said, "Nice technique. Solid defense and good offense."

Tier bowed her head quickly and said, "You as well. I've never seen anyone use such weapons so efficiently."

Dante smirked and said, "Practice…"

He blurred only for tier to whirl around and block, locked at handles as Dante finished.

"…makes perfect."

Dante flipped his other sai so the blade pointed inwards and jabbed at Tier's arm twice in 2 places with his index and middle finger. Tier instantly felt her arm go dead and flop down while Dante slashed. Tier dropped down and grabbed her blade with her other hand and slashed upwards, slightly cutting the hoodie with a shallow gash, having only nicked it. Dante put some distance between them and examined the cut and said, "Nuts. This was one of my favorite hoodies."

Tier looked at her arm and tried to move it, but the most she could do was get it to twitch randomly. Dante noticed this and said, "Nerve points. Don't worry; the effect will fade in 15 to 20 minutes."

"He's good." Connor said nodding.

Sung-Sun said, "How can he handle those so well? That's my weapon of choice, but I can't use mine as well as he does."

"400 years of practice." Connor replied. "In any case, I think Dante's wrapping it up."

"Here I come." Dante said.

He charged and started slashing and jabbing. Tier worked to block them all, but her dead arm keep flopping and smacking her, knocking off her timing and forcing her to take steps back. Dante's sai were hard to black due to the fact her own blade was hollow, so she had to use the edges to block. Then with a bit of fancy work, Dante stabbed at Tier's chest, forcing her to block, catching his sai between its blades. He yanked the trapped sai upwards and then spun around, holding his other Sai to her throat. Tier froze as Dante said, "Checkmate."

Tier waited a minute and Dante brought down his sai, whirling them before shoving them back into his hoodie. Tier sheathed her blade and said, "Well done. You've very strong."

Dante bowed to herr, placing a hand on his stomach after flourishing it and said, "I thank you for this praise Tier."

Tier chuckled then looked at her dead arm. "Would you mind…?

Dante followed her line of sight and said, "Oh, no, not at all."

He looked at her arm from a few angles before jabbing 3 separate places and tier's arm jerked, allowing her to move it again. She raised and flexed her fingers a few times before saying, "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

"Well, well, that was a good fight."

Connor was walking over while Appaci said, "Where the hell did you get sai and learn to use them?!"

"Japan, 16th century with my dad. Awesome trip." Dante said.

Sung-Sun then said, "I've never seen Sai used that way before."

Dante said, "Be happy to teach you some time."

"Really?"

"Sure, I…"

He was cut off as he heard Azien's voice saying, "Attention my dear Espada. Please report to the meeting room, as well as Dante Price and Connor Smith please. We have some matters to discuss."

"Azien wishes to speak with us." Tier said.

"Oh great." Dante said. "First week here and we're getting called to the principal's office."

Connor snorted. "Like you've never been called worse places."

Tier turned to her fraccion and said, "Please go back to the tower and wait. I'll talk to you later."

They all bowed and said, "Yes mistress," before turning and starting to walk back.

"And stay out of the TARDIS until we're back!" Dante called.

"We should hurry," Tier said. "We shouldn't keep Azien waiting."

_10 minutes later_

"Welcome, my dear Espada, and new recruits."

Azien was sitting at his normal place and the Espada in their normal places, while at the opposite end of the table Dante and Connor were sitting in 2 spare chairs, Connor leaning back and listening while Dante had his feet propped up on the table and was leaning back, working on a rubric cube, his tongue sticking out slightly between his lips as he manipulated the surfaces.

"Master Azien, why have these two fraccion been allowed into the meeting?" Baraggan asked.

Azien smiled and said, "Because they are both exceptionally powerful and have previous knowledge of fighting soul society, which I'm sure will prove valuable."

Baraggan glared at Dante and said, "But the brat does not even have proper respect of you."

Dante heard this and replied, "I resent that. I have proper respect for Azien."

"Then why do you insist on putting your filthy feet on the table?" Baraggan snarled.

Dante chuckled and said, "There's a good reason. This is the only way I can block your ugly mug while seeing everyone else."

Almost all of the Espada laughed, Ulquiorra not making a sound, Tier and most of the others chuckling, while Grimjow, Nntoria, and Aaroniero, the one with the mast and frilly collar, were all laughing loudly and joyful in Baraggan's humiliation. Baraggan was looking furious, his face looking like it had a bad sun burn while he snarled, "You insolent little…"

"Enough Baraggan," Aizen said. "We are not here to listen to your ranting against Dante here."

Dante stopped in his rubric cube, looked at Azien and asked, "Then why _are_ we here Azien?"

Azien smiled and said, "Before you and Connor made your…unique appearance, I had told Yammy and Ulquiorra to go to Karakura town to observe…"

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

Azien paused, surprised as he asked, "You know of that?"

Dante went back to his rubric as he said, "Before we left soul society, Connor and I took some time to learn what we could about you. We managed to get some information from a meeting of the Gotei 13 and discovered you seemed interested in the boy before you left here. Since then, Gotei 13 has been having 2 people watch him and his friends. A Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shimon?"

Azien pressed his fingertips together and said, "Interesting. Did they say how closely they were watching him?"

"Sadly no, but I know for a fact it's not to closely to look suspicious, rather its casual observation. If we're to study him, it'll be easy to for maybe 10 minutes, but I can make it so that time is halved."

Azien raised an eye brow at this. "Really?"

"Yes. I've studied a fair number of people throughout history with my father, Ichigo should be no different." Dante said.

"That is part of the reason as to why you are here. I want you and Connor to join the invasion force to study the boy, then report back any and all findings. Understood?"

Dante brought his rubric cube and fiddled with it for another second before stopping, grinning, and said, "Crystal."

"Good. You'll be leaving immediately."

Dante and Connor stood, Connor saying, "In that case, will you wait one minute for me to receive my cloak?"

"Of course. Just don't take too long." said Aizen.

"It won't take long at all."

He closed his eyes and rose his right arm, rolling up the sleeve to show his tattoo. He slightly cut his thumb with his canine teeth and let the blood drop onto the tattoo, which glowed blue before he reached into it, his hand disappearing, before he pulled it out, cloak clenched in his hand. Once that was done, the cloak drifted and settled on his shoulders. He opened his eyes and said, "Ready."

Szayel looked fascinated as he said, "That cloak can bend space to be summoned? Interesting. Would you be willing to part with it for an hour or two so I can study it?"

Connor looked at him and said, "Do you value your continued existence? Because if so, then no."

Dante stood up and said, "Can we leave now please?", wanting to leave before a fight broke out.

Ulquiorra appeared next to him and looked up as he said in a flat emotionless tone, "Of course."

Dante turned around to see something opening in the air. If he had to describe it, he'd say it looked like the air had gained a mouth and was opening it to show a shifting blackness, overshadowed with shades of gray, barely lighter than the blackness.

Yammy stood and stretched, saying, "About time we got some action, I've been bored out of my mind."

"This is what's call a Garganta, or world piercing gate." Aizen explained. "It's what Espada use to move between the world of the living and Hueco Mundo. Once you arrive, draw out Ichigo Kurosaki and use any means needed. Understood?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "Yes master Azien."

"Sure," Dante said. "But be ready. If Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shimon are as strong as soul society said, someone's coming back from this trip hurt. Oh and Azien."

"Yes?"

"Catch."

He tossed a small cube towards Azien, which he caught easily. He looked at it to see it was the rubric cube that Dante had been working on, completely solved.

Dante smirked and said, "See ya."

And with that, the group stepped into the void, which snapped shut behind them. Azien thought, 'Dante Price. Such an interesting young man.'

Dante and Connor saw that the void really was infinite, with no light or floor underneath them beside the glowing platform that Yammy and Ulquiorra had made under themselves and Dante and Connor.

Dante said, "Interesting." He knelt down and touched the platform and asked, "If I'm not mistaken, it's made of Reishi (_spirit)_ particles?"

"That's correct." Ulquiorra said. "You're sharp for a hybrid."

"Can't help it. Dad taught me a lot in 400 years and made sure I remembered it. How long will it take to get to the human world?"

"10 minutes," Yammy said, "but don't fall off, otherwise you'll be trapped here forever."

"Aww, I didn't know you cared."

Yammy glanced back. "Keep it up kid, and I'll throw you off myself."

Dante looked down at the platform and noticed every detail before saying, "I doubt it."

They walked in silence after that, the platform never seeming to move except for the spirit particles that gathered in front of them while those behind fell away into the darkness. Then Ulquiorra stopped and said, "We're here."

Dante stopped as well and said, "So, how are we going to draw out Ichigo?"

"I think destroying everything in sight will suffice." Yammy said.

Dante looked at Connor, meet eyes, then they both nodded slightly. Time to put a little plan in action. Most everything would run its course, except for a few small things. The next thing they knew, both of them were blinded by a light and rose an arm apiece to shield their faces till their eyes adjusted. They saw they were in a heavily wooded area, somewhere in a crater which was being looked down into by easily 20 people, all of them muttering, but they stopped as Dante and Connor walked out of the gate, which snapped behind them.

One of them hesitantly called, "Are you all right?"

Yammy frowned and asked, "They notice us?"

"No, just me and Dante since we're not spirits like you are." Connor said.

Yammy snorted. "Well, their getting on my nerves. Time to clear out the trash."

As they watched, he closed his lips in a tight O and sucked like a vacuum cleaner. As they watched, the humans around them glowed blue in the wind, then the light left them and were sucked in by Yammy, who belched after they were all eaten and said, "Ugh, tasted like crap."

"What do you expect of soul that low in power?" Ulquiorra said. "Now come, we must…"

He was stopped as they heard a low moan and saw one of the bodies shift slightly. Dante looked at her and felt his heart lurch. It was Tasuki, Orihime's friend. She had short black hair, a thin muscled frame, and she seemed in pain as she looked around, saying "What the…?"

Yammy walked towards her and called behind him, "Hey, Ulquiorra, this one of any interest?"

He replied, "Look at her fool. She can barely move from you being so close. Just kill her."

Dante felt his heart run cold and he fought to not move, since he knew what was about to happen.

Yammy rose his fist and pulled it back with a smile as he said, "Ha, already getting to kill somebody." before throwing his fist forward, towards her head.

Only it never hit. Yammy found his fist to be stopped by one that seemed to be clad in some sort of armor, the smoke from his hit blocking the owner.

Yammy said, "What the…?"

The smoke cleared to show odd man. He had dark skin, similar to Mexican skin, with long, wavy hair and was thickly muscled. He was wearing a flower shirt and black pants, but the real interest was his arm. It was black and red, the red running up the middle of his arm to his shoulder, where it ended in a little bit of a spike. It looked completely organic, but it had stopped Yammy's punch like it was nothing. "So this is an Espada?" He said in a deep rumbling voice.

Yammy called, "Hey, is this the guy we're looking for?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "No you buffoon. He's trash."

Yammy smiled and said, "Well then, more fun for me."

He tried to punch with his other arm, but the man ducked underneath and let go, clenched his armored had, and delivered an uppercut to Yammy's chin which sent him skidding back. He stopped and wiped his mouth as he said, "So a decent little shrimp then."

They heard Tatsuki say weakly "Chad…?" before she passed out and fell on her face.

"Orihime!" Chad called.

The girl in question walked out from the trees. She had long burnt orange hair, held back by 2 hair pins on sides, a curvy figure, and large eyes that were worried as she approached and knelt next to tastuki. "Shield both her and yourself while I take care of him." Chad said.

Yammy just laughed and said, "Take care of me?"

He appeared right next to Chad, whose face whirled around as Yammy grabbed his arm and started to squeeze as he said, "But who'll take care of you?" and prepared to rip of Chad's arm.

"Yammy!"

The next thing Yammy knew, Dante was knelt next to his arm with his own outstretched and Yammy's arm flopped to it side, releasing Chad with his arm still attached, but badly crushed, almost beyond repair and recognition.

"What the hell Dante?!" Yammy yelled.

Dante stood and looked back at him, and said, "We were ordered to study Ichigo, not maim people. Beside…" he looked at Orihime who looked frightened of them. "…we don't need unwanted attention."

Yammy grunted. "Fine, but the girls annoying. I'll kill her."

"NO!" Dante yelled, but Yammy was to fast as he thrust his index finger towards Orihime's head, which was bowed.

"Santen Kesshun (Three Sacred Links Shield)."

Yammy's finger was blocked by a triangular glowing shield that appeared in front of Orihime and stopped it cold. Yammy stepped back while Orihime got to her feet, her face determined as she also said, "Sōten Kisshun (Twin Sacred Return Shield)."

2 small things like tiny airplanes detached from her hair clips and flew towards chad, settling on either side before sending out a orange light around him like a dome as Orihime said, "I reject."

With that, the damage began to heal, the cuts and breaks flowing tighter to form the armor again while the blood began flowing back into his wounds. He was healing at a fantastic speed.

Dante thought, 'No matter how many times I see this, I'm still amazed_.'_

Ulquiorra was thinking something different. 'What is that? Time regression? No, it's too fast and clean. This girl shouldn't be able to heal that much damage in so little time. What's going on?'

Yammy grinned again and said, "Well, looks like little miss princess has some decent abilities. This will be fun."

She looked at Yammy in a hard face as she said, "Koten Zanshun (Solitary Sacred Cutting Shield)." A single black figure flew to Orihime's hands, which she held one over the other and pointed her palms at Yammy. She shouted, "I…REJECT!"

And fired the object towards Yammy at high speed. He rose his hand to block it, but Dante was faster and grabbed the object with his thumb and index finger, whirled around, and threw it to just besides Orihime. He shook his hand as the object flew through a few trees and returned to Orihime and said "Fast, but not strong enough."

She looked devastated her attack was so easily stopped. She trembled as Yammy approached and asked "Hey, Ulquiorra, is this one okay to kill?"

He closed his eyes and said, "Fine."

He smiled maniacally as he said, "So long, little girl!"

He lunged forward to grab her, but Dante made no move to stop it. After all, _he_ was here.

And Yammy suddenly felt his hand stopped by something poking right into the skin and looked past to see a boy. A boy with orange hair, soul reaper robes, and a massive, cleaver like sword.

"Who the hell are you?" Yammy asked.

Dante walked past and looked at him as he said "Unless I'm very much mistaken, this is Ichigo Kurosaki."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ichigo looked at Dante and asked, "And who are you?"

Dante opened his mouth, but Yammy laughed and said, "Finally, we managed to find the bastard. Guess the rampage worked. Now to get down to business."

Ichigo took his eyes Dante and looked at Yammy. He asked "Are you the one who did that to Chad?"

Orihime bowed her head behind Ichigo. "I'm sorry Ichigo. If only I was stronger…"

He looked back at her with a tender expression. "It's not your fault. And don't worry."

He looked back at the group with a hard and determined expression as he grabbed his forearm with his free hand as he said, "Everything will be fine… after I beat these 4! Ban…"

Ichigo's spirit energy went flaring and his robes bellowing outwards. Dante took the moment to quickly push the pressure points on Yammy's arm that would allow him to manipulate it again, and just in time as Ichigo finished, "…kai!"

He was enveloped by a blast of dust underneath him that covered his form while Dante quickly backed up. He had to wait for the moment he was needed, and that would easily be soon as the dust cleared to show Ichigo's new form.

His sword was now longer and thinner, a long word, with a guard in the shape of a bent X and the hilt now had 3 chains, with the 4th link broken, dangling from the end. The entire blade was blade, and Ichigo's robes now hugged his form more, while flaring out in ragged edges showing a red inside. He looked at Yammy and said "let's go big guy."

Yammy looked furious as he shouted, "Don't mock me runt!" and tried to punch with his right arm. Ichigo rose his sword and blocked with the flat of his blade, though the blow caused his feet to sink into the ground, Ichigo himself didn't budge. As Yammy looked shocked, Ichigo flipped and landed on Yammy's massive shoulder and swung his blade at impossible speeds, slicing clear through his arm. Ulquiorra's eyes widened along with Yammy as he yelled "WHAT THE…?!" but Dante knew what was coming. He checked the Ultramatrix, which he had set to show the time whenever it was activated, and saw that he would have to act in 2 minutes.

Ulquiorra was thinking something different as Yammy tried to attack Ichigo head on with one arm.

'That buffoon. I've always told him to examine his opponent before he attacks, but he insists on charging forwards. Though I'm surprised that boy cut through Yammy's Hierro, since he only achieved Bankai a short time ago. Though his spiritual pressure is solid, there's no threat to master Azien here.'

When he was done with this, Yammy now had 3 deep cuts, one on his other shoulder, another where his ribs had blocked the real damage, and another on his left leg. He was panting heavily while Ichigo stood before him and said, 'You're not down yet? You're as tough as you look at least.'

"You want to tag out Yammy?" Dante asked.

"SHUT UP RUNT!" Yammy shouted as his only hand grabbed his sword hilt. Dante rose an eye brow and said, "Using your sword already? You must be desperate."

Ichigo caught on that and thought, 'A Zanpakutō? Is this guy the Arrancar that Rukia explained to me?'

He started to sweat as his mind went a mile a minute. 'Are these guys like shinji? Are they like… me?_'_

Then Ichigo felt a darkness pass over his mind and fell to his knees and holding a hand to his right eye as he thought 'No! He's…he's here!' And if you looked at his eye, you could see a hint of black moving across his eye.

Yammy was surprised as he laughed and started punching Ichigo saying, "HA! LOOKS LIKE THIS GUYS HAVING A FIT! I DON'T KNOW WHAT, BUT WHO CARES?! DIE PUNK!"

'Here it comes!' Dante thought.

Orihime, who had gotten Chad and Tatsuki a safe distance away saw what was happening and ran to Ichigo, yelling, "STOP IT!"

Yammy looked at her and said, "Get lost brat!" and swung the back of his hand at her.

'NOW!_'_

Before Yammy's hand hit her, Dante grabbed her and pulled her away, her arms behind her back while Yammy said, "Phht! Just keep her restrained while I teach this punk his place!"

Orihime shouted "Let me go!"

Dante muttered in her ear, "Whatever happens, do not forget to give Kisuke this. And I'm very sorry for this." And pinched a nerve in her neck. Orihime's eyes widened, then she felt her body go limp and start to fall, but Dante laid her down and said, "Sorry." Then quickly put a small folded piece of paper in her hand.

Then he stood back up and approached Yammy and said, "Yammy, give me a minute with him."

But Yammy kept pounding on Ichigo

"I said that's enough!"

He grabbed Yammy's fist in mid punch and stopped it cold, then pushed him in the chest so he stumbled back a few steps. Yammy shouted, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

Dante knelt in front of Ichigo and looked at him as he said "What we were sent to do."

He reached into his pocket and brought out a sonic screwdriver. It had a sleek design, like a torpedo, with the light at the end of it and a ring to place the index finger and activate it. Dante did so and ran it over Ichigo's form, which was clenched and battered, but not terribly so, and then stopped, looked at the screw driver and said, Interesting. His spirit energy is unstable right now. At times it's no higher than a normal human, but others it's just below Tier's. And that's not all. Something is fighting for control of his body, right now."

Dante heard a high pitched squeal and looked sharply up to see a red blade of energy heading towards him. He jumped back as it hit in front of Ichigo, raising dust in a small explosion. When he skidded and the dust cleared, it showed two people standing in front of Ichigo. One was a man in a stripped white and green hat, covering his blue eyes dirty blond hair, which curled underneath, with wooden sandals, a white robe underneath a green over coat, and 3 day old rubble from not shaving. Not only that, he was holding a sword that looked like a long razor blade, and a curved guard and handle, which had red tassels dangling from it. The other was a woman, with dark brown skin, purple hair, golden cat eyes, and for clothes, an orange over shirt over a black leotard. Dante recognized them instantly and stood as he said, "Well, well. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shimon."

Kisuke looked at Dante with his piercing eyes and said, "So, you must be Dante Price. We've heard about you."

Yoruichi said, "I'll take care of Orihime. Give me the medicine."

Kisuke pressed a small vial in her hand and Yoruichi started walking towards Orihime. Yammy said, "Hey!" and lunged forward to punch Yoruichi. She didn't even looked as she dodged the blow, landing on his forearm and kicked him in the face, sending him skidding back on his back.

Dante drew his sai from his jacket and said, "So, soul society filled you in on me did they?"

Kisuke lunged forward, his blade ready, but Dante parried each of his blows, the blades whistling through the air and clanging at high speed as Kisuke said "Indeed they did. Time lord eh?"

"Half." Dante corrected him. "And they told you what I wanted as well?"

Kisuke winked as he ducked under a blow as he said, "Indeed. You really want to do this? Try and interfere in a war that is not yours?"

Dante winked back, with his eyes out of anybody but Kisuke's sight, and said, "It's not what I want. It's what I have to do. Just like you hot to seal the Hykogen, but look how well that worked, huh?!" he shouted with a kick at Kisuke, which he dodged by flipping backwards.

He landed on his feet and said, "Maybe, but I can at least help to make my mistake right."

Ulquiorra was watching neutral with Connor,. He watched as Dante was at a stalemate with Dante, how the woman Yoruichi had revived the girl after dispatching Yammy a few times, and the boy they had been sent to examine was no threat.

"Enough Yammy."

Yammy halted as he was trying to punch Yoruichi again. "We've achieved our goal. It's time to leave." Ulquiorra said as he opened a Garganta behind him.

Dante looked at Kisuke then slowly backed away. He grabbed Yammy's arm as he passed, though his hand couldn't get around the widest part. Then when he was a safe distance, he sheathed both his Sai. Yammy walked sulkily towards the gate as Yoruichi said, "Running already?"

Connor stopped and looked back at her as he said "Running? If you had any ideas of our true powers, we would not be the ones running, Yoruichi. Plus, with you two forced to defend 4 others, it would hardly be fair. Be grateful of today, and be sure to learn of your own powerless nature."

'Does he always have to so dramatic? Even I like a little flair, but he's just over kill.' Dante thought.

When Dante was at the portal, when stopped and said, "Hey, Yammy?"

As Yammy turned, Dante offered his sliced arm hand first and said, "Need a hand at all?"

Yammy snarled and grabbed his arm as they walked through, Dante being the last one to do so as the gate closed.

_Back in Hueco Mundo. Time skip, 20 minutes, TARDIS_

Dante was tapping away at a lap top while sitting in the library at a table. Since they had arrived back in Hueco Mundo, Azien had said that he would want a debriefing on what had happened in Karakura Town and Ichigo the second Yammy had his arm healed. While Connor could do that easily, they had both agreed that they would take the extra time to review what they had learned. At the moment, Dante was researching everything he could about Kisuke Urahara. While he had some basic knowledge, he wanted to know a little bit more about the man.

Just then, Connor walked in. and said, "Thought I would find you here. How goes the research?"

Dante noticed Connor had changed out of his mask into his glasses. Then he closed the laptop and replied, "Finished. This man is exactly the person we needed to reach out to. He's frankly a genius, even by time lord standards. If he took a time lord intelligence test, something tells me he would score fairly high."

Connor sat down on the opposite side. "So he'll know what the paper was then?"

Dante felt something hot in his hoodie pocket and pulled out his wallet. He flipped it open to see the psychic paper he kept in there say "G_reetings Dante Price. It's an honor to talk to you."_

Dante smirked. "He's already figured out how to use it. Now we have a means of communication with the only man that might help us in the final fight."

"That was fast. How the heck did he figure that out already?" Connor said.

Dante said. "I left a little note on that paper and explained the basics, but he's seemed to have figured out how to use it effectively. Let's talk."

He focused on his paper and watched as the words currently on them vanished to be replaced by "_T__he honor is mine Mr. Kisuke. I'm a big fan of yours, seeing as what you've managed to accomplish on your own. Very impressive with the spirit energy repressing Gigai."_

The words were replaced again. "_I'm humbled, but considering what time lords have invented, such as this paper, is much more incredible. And you are an exceptional man to have convinced Azien to let you join. I got the specifics of your 'story' from Mayuri's computer. He really needs to upgrade his security."_

Dante chuckled and said out loud, "This man just gets better and better."

Connor walked over and quickly read what was on the paper over Dante's shoulder before saying, "Seems like he really knows what's going on."

Dante nodded then focused on the paper again. "_O__kay, pleasantries aside, we need to you to tell us what you can about the Hykogen."_

The paper remained the same for a few minutes, then replaced the pervious message with _"*sigh* the Hykogen was part of my experiments in the barrier between hollows and Shinigami. Through several simulations and some slight testing, I discovered if one could fuse these two beings, then their powers would grow to twice the amount that either could achieve alone. Through my studies I came to create the Hykogen. But when I realized that it wasn't able to be destroyed, and saw what others might use it or, I sealed it away. Until that night that Azien betrayed me and his captain, shinji. He created something that forced him and the other Shinigami that had been there at the time, besides Himself, Tosen, and gin, to undergo a unstable hollowfication"_

"Tosen is the African American who's blind right?" Connor asked.

"Right. And Gin's that weirdo who looks like a snake."

They turned back to the paper. It said, "_A__fter we drove Azien away, me and the kido commander of the time, Tessai Tsukabishi, took the infected Shinigami back to the lab. There I unsealed the Hykogen to try and cure them, but it only stabilized the change, making them into vizards. But that's when everything fell apart. Azien had set us up, and we were put on trial before central 46. We were founded guilty and sentenced to prison, while shinji and his group were to be executed as hollows."_

Dante's hand tightened on his wallet. He knew that central 46 were unjust, but that hadn't sunk in before now. He swore that before he left, he'd talk with them and knock down their confidence a few points.

"_Thankfully Yoruichi found out before that happened an saved them, us, and the spirit energy repressing Gigai we would need. I managed to perfect them and we hid in the human world for the past 110 years."_

Dante focused and wrote, "_An__d you took the Hykogen with you. Then when Rukia came along, you hide the Hykogen in her Gigai which would turn her into a normal human and hide it forever. Though of course that plan backfired."_

Dante watched as Kisuke wrote back "_Y__es. And that's put us in our current position."_

Dante thought for a second before writing, "_T__hank you for telling me this. I'll be sure to keep you updated on tings this side, though it may get hairy."_

"Like things aren't hairy enough." said Connor.

Dante muttered "Tell us something we don't know."

He put his wallet away as Connor said, "So that confirms what we suspected about the Hykogen."

Dante rested his mouth on his folded hands. "But it doesn't."

Connor sat back down and asked, "What do you mean?"

"If the Hykogen was able to control the barrier between Shinigami and hollows, then Kisuke should have been able to cure shinji and the others. But it didn't. Instead it stabilized the change. Why?"

Connor sat for a minute in which Dante thought and Connor said, "Okay, I'll bite. Why?"

Dante pounded his head on his hands as he said "I don't know! Despite my travels with The Doctor, I don't have a clue what that thing is capable of or what its function is. And I'll never figure it out if I can't get a scan with the sonic."

"Which Azien won't allow right now. He's just met us, and despite sending us with Yammy and Ulquiorra into the town, he'll never let us near the Hykogen. Not until we prove he can 'trust' us."

Dante snorted. This was going to take forever.

Connor felt his arm tingle and looked at his tattoo. It was glowing and the cloak flew out of it despite not being called and flated before them. As they watched, it shimmered and what seemed like a screen formed in it's depth. It quickly grew until they could clearly see the picture. It showed Nnitoria who was holding Sung-Sun by her neck while Mila Rose and Appaci were looking battered and panting heavily. Dante shot up and said, "Where's this taking place!?"

Connor had shot up as well and said, "I don't kow, but I can get us there."

Connor snapped his fingers and the cloak whirled around them like a tornado before collapsing into nothing.

_With Nntoria and the girls_

Sung-Sun was struggling in Nntoria's grip, but he was too strong as he said, "I thought I told you bitches not to smart mouth me."

Appaci shouted, "Tier will hear about this!" then threw her bracelets at him, with spikes on the outside curve, at him, but he simply batted them aside with his hand. He hadn't even used his scythe, as it lay discarded on the ground.

Nntoria sneered at her as her blades returned like boomerangs and said "Does what you want. She can't harm this body. No one can."

"I beg to differ!"

Nntoria looked to the side just in time for Dante to knee him in the face and send him flying into the wall, where he crashed into it and dust covered him. He had dropped Sung-Sun when he had been hit, but Dante caught her before she hit the floor. He asked "Are you all right?" while setting her down on her feet.

She took several deep breaths before responding, "I'm fine. But how did you…"

"My cloak."

They turned to see Connor standing there with his cloak spread before him as he said, "It showed you were in trouble and we used it to teleport here."

"We don't need your help!" Appaci snarled.

Dante said, "Look, this isn't the…"

He was then cut off as he was hit in the jaw by Nntoria who looked pissed as Dante went flying into one of the walls. He said, "You should keep your nose out of other people's business Dante."

Dante fell to the ground on all fours and coughed up some blood from a cut in his mouth as he said, "Sorry, but that's not my style."

Nntoria sneered as he said, "Truth be told, I've wanted to fight you for a while now. Shall we start now!?" he shouted as he used sonido to appear next to his scythe which he picked up.

Dante stood and reached into his hoodie pocket as he said, "My pleasure."

He pulled out a long rod that was a dull gray, about the size of his hand. He pushed a button on top and the rod quickly expanded into a metal bo staff, which Dante whirled around a little before stopping in a crouch with the staff touching the back of his arm. He rose his other hand and made the bring it gesture.

Nntoria shouted and charged, his scythe coming down from above. Dante dodged to the side with inches to spare and took the opening to slam his staff across Nntoria's face which caused it to jerk to the side, but when he looked back at Dante, there wasn't even a bruise. Nntoria laughed and said, "You can't hurt me Dante! My hierro is the strongest in all of Los Nochas!"

Dante ducked under his punch and put some distance between them as he tried to think. His staff wouldn't be much use against his hierro. Unless…

Connor was looking over the girls as the fight happened and found several nasty bruises, 2 bruised ribs in Appaci, a fractured leg bone in Mila-Rose, and some fractured bones in Sung-Sun's lower ribs. "You're not in any serious danger, but you need medical attention."

"But Dante…" Sung-Sun protested.

"…will be fine. That staffs from an old friend, and Dante made some changes to it."

Dante was thinking on how he could use one of those changes and charged Nntoria again, this time jabbing his staff end towards his face, but Nntoria caught it without any apparent effort. He looked bored as he said "is this all? I was expecting more from you."

Dante smirked and said, "Then try this!"

He clicked a button on the staff and suddenly Nntoria shouted in pain as 20,000 volts of electricity surged through his body, the current sparking over his ski. He let go and staggered back, but Dante wasn't done. He advanced by swinging his staff in a windmill fashion, hitting Nntoria several times while each hit gave him a shock. Then Dante propped then end of his staff against the ground and spun to kick Nntoria in the chest, sending him skidding back.

Appaci and the others were shocked. Dante was…pressing one of the top Espada!

Nntoria was panting as his skin popped with electric sparks and he looked up at Dante, who was holding the staff with both hands, the ends clad in lightning. He snarled, "What is that staff?"

Dante smirked and said, "A gift from an old friend. I made some changes, but he was the apprentice of a man who called himself The Dark Knight. They gave me this after I helped them out of a tight spot with my dad."

Nntoria snarled. This boy was making a fool of him. Him! The strongest Espada! Who cared about ranks? He didn't, he knew he was the strongest of them all!

Nntoria shouted, "That's it Dante! It's time to…!"

"Time to what?"

They all paused and the room was silent again, except for the electric crackle of Dante's staff. They all turned to the end of the hall to see Tier standing there with her eyes narrowed at the sight of her fraccion wounded and Dante fighting.

She repeated herself. "Time to what?"

"Mistress Tier!" Apacci said. "That jerk Nntoria was bad mouthing you, so we tried to attack him, but…"

"… but he was too strong." Connor filled in. "Dante and I saw what happened in my cloak and teleported here to help the girls. Dante then fought him and… well, you can see the results."

Indeed Tier could. Dante had some blood coming from his mouth, but it was a small amount, so she suspected a cut inside his mouth, and a bruise on his cheek, indicating he had been punched or kicked. Nntoria on the other hand had electrical burns all over his body and he was panting while looking at her in hate. She used sonido to appear behind him and spin kicked him into a wall. He whirled around but Tier pointed her blade at his throat as she said, "I believe I've told you before, if you touched my fraccion, you would pay."

He snarled and said, "Keep talking Tier. You're just a female. You don't deserve the 3rd rank of Espada. You don't deserve to be an Espada at all!"

Dante appeared next to him and smashed his staff into Nntoria's jaw, the electricity still flowing. He hit the ground with a shout and tried to get back up, but Dante held the staff end in front of his face and said, "If there's anyone who deserves to not be an Espada, Nntoria, it's you. You're just a sore loser who thinks he should be in charge. Grow up."

Nntoria stopped with a snarl on his face. Dante held the pose for a few minutes, and then said, without taking his eyes from Nntoria, "Connor, can you get us back to the TARDIS?"

"On it."

His cloak floated of his back and floated before Connor. He waved his hands in front of it before saying "TARDIS, infirmary."

The cloak rippled like water before changing into a window, showing the TARDIS infirmary, currently empty. "Ready!" Connor said.

Connor had the girls step through the cloak into the infirmary, which surprised them as they didn't know his cloak could do something like this. He stepped through last and called, "Dante! Let's go."

Dante leaned down to Nntoria and whispered. "You can try to fight me, anytime, anywhere. But you stay away from the girls. Or I will make you pay."

Nntoria snarled, but he didn't move. Dante waited one minute to let his point sink in. then he clicked a button and the electricity stopped flowing. He turned and walked towards the portal when he heard Nntoria shout in anger. He whirled around to see Nntoria grab his scythe and hurl it towards him. Dante dived through the portal and shouted "CLOSE IT!" and Connor. Just before the scythe made it, the portal snapped shut and the cloak returned to its normal starry appearance and settled around his shoulders. Dante stood there and said, "Loser." Before he clicked another button and the staff snapped back into its normal appearance, a small hunk of metal.

It took a few minutes, but the girls had seated at a bed and the cabinets supplied what was needed to treat their wounds. All of them had a few Band-Aids and some bandages to treat their various bones. Connor was treating Appaci's face with some disinfection on a cut when she asked suddenly, "Why the hell do you always cover your eyes?"

Connor stopped in applying the disinfection with a cotton ball. "What?"

"Those stupid sunglasses, and the mask always hide your eyes!" Appaci said. "I've never seen you without them! Why do you wear them?"

Everyone's attention was on Connor now, Dante looking at Connor sadly while Tier and the others looked interested. Connor's face lowered until his eyes were hidden in shadow as he said, "It's an old thing. A curse one of my oldest enemies put on me."

He put down the cotton ball and picked up a Band-Aid. He was about to put the Band-Aid on when he smelled something. He turned tense and took a deep breath through his nose.

"Connor?" Dante asked.

Connor didn't respond, or to put it in better terms, he couldn't respond. He lifted his head enough to see his eyes again and they looked glassy. He stared at Appaci until she said, "Stop staring, you're freaking me out."

Connor didn't respond. He got in close to Appaci and sniffed again. The smell was coming from her all right. So delicious. He couldn't help it.

Dante suddenly knew what was happening and thought, 'Oh shit!'

Connor opened his mouth wide to show his fangs coming in and was about to bite when Appaci punched him in the cheek and shouted, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

Connor flew off his bed and hit the ground on the other side. They heard him groan, "What the…?"

He sat up rubbing his face, but with one critical difference. His sun glasses weren't on now. And his eyes were opening now.

"CONNOR, NO!" Dante shouted, but it was too late. Connor had opened his eyes and looked right into Appaci's.

But nothing happened. She just looked at him in anger while Connor's mouth slowly opened. He and Dante said simultaneously, "No way…"

The girls looked at Dante whose mouth was wide open as he stuttered, "How…how…"

Connor quickly cast his eyes down and found his glasses. He put them on quickly and stood. He said, "I need some time alone."

And he walked out of the infirmary without another word.

Dante watched him go while his mind was going a mile a minute. Appaci hadn't been affected by the curse Aphrodite had put on Connor. But that could only mean…

Appaci stormed over to Dante and said, "Are you listening!?"

Dante jumped and said, "Sorry, what?"

"I said, what the hell is his deal?! Why the hell was he so shocked!?"

Dante sighed. He sat down and motioned to the others to do the same. When they were settled he began.

"Now, what you have to understand here is that Connor is a vampire. He requires blood to live, and his nose is specifically designed to sniff out blood. Especially tasty blood."

Appaci looked outraged as she said, "So he acted like that because he liked the smell of my BLOOD?!"

Mila Rose snickered. "You should feel grateful, Appaci. Now someone actually wants something to do with you."

"WHY, I OUTTA…!"

"ENOUGH!"

They all jumped, having never heard Dante raise his voice before, and he looked truly angry as he said, "The problem isn't Appaci's blood, it's the fact she looked into Connor's eyes!"

They all stopped and were confused.

"What's wrong with that?" Sung-Sun asked.

"What's wrong with that is she didn't immediately die upon looking into his eyes."

They all felt a chill run up their spines as Appaci said, "What?"

Dante sighed and rubbed his brow with one hand. He said, "Connor's cloak has the power to transport the user through space. You've seen that for yourself. But what you've seen so far isn't it's full power. That cloak has the power to transport the user to other universes."

They all sat shocked.

"Connor is from another universe?" Tier asked slowly.

Dante rested his chin on his folded hands as he said, "Yes and where he came from was hard on him. From what he's told me, where he came from, the Greek gods of Olympus were real, as were other monsters from Greek mythology. Connor started out as a human who learned about the gods from sailors. He came to worship them, like anybody else. Then a vampire bit him and turned him into one, and when Connor begged the gods to kill him rather than let him live like that, they ignored his plea. Since then, he built himself a name in the monster world and led an army against the gods. He failed, but the gods weren't going to kill him and fulfill that wish. So Aphrodite, the goddess of love, put a curse on him. Anybody who looked directly into his eyes, who was incapable of loving him entirely, would suffer a horrible and painful death. I've seen it happen once before. Not very pretty."

Appaci felt like she had plunged to the bottom of the ocean and back up in just a few seconds. "But…but then…"

"But then that would mean that you, Appaci, are capable of loving him. Exactly. And now you see what his 'deal' is." Dante said.

They sat there for a while until Tier said, "I'm confused though. You said you encountered Connor in the forest where Shinigami were chasing him. Is that true?"

Dante nodded and said, "After he failed to over throw the gods, Connor spent time traveling the world. He had heard rumors about the cloak and spent years tracking it down. When he did so, he used it to leave his universe behind and settled in this one. He eventually found the tribe he would settle in, until the Shinigami destroyed it to get to him, since they had heard rumors about him. They didn't want to take chances with Azien having betrayed them."

Dante stood and said, "I see you all need to process this, so I'll leave you be. I've also activated a new function of the TARDIS. Should any of you want to talk to me or Connor, simply say so and the TARDIS will lead you to us. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

He left the room then, leaving the girls to their thoughts.

_10 minutes later._

The girls had left the TARDIS in an attempt to sort through their feelings. Appaci was feeling shocked and a little weird, Tier confused as to what she had learned, Mila-rose shocked, and Sung-Sun thoughtful and stunned.

Finally Appaci stood and said "I'm going to find Connor."

Nobody objected, in fact, Mila Rose didn't even rib her about saying that. Seeing as no one seemed to hear, Appaci walked back to the boys room and opened the door, walked into the TARDIS, then stopped at the control panel. She felt a little stupid, but she said "I'm looking for Connor."

The TARDIS panel beeped once before the path underneath Appaci flashed white. She watched as the light snaked and winded down one of the hallways and out of sight. Seeing no other option, Appaci walked down the highlighted path. It took many turns and seemed to go on forever, until Appaci came to a door. She tried the handle and found it unlocked, so she opened it and walked through. When she saw what was on the other side, she almost had a heart attack.

Instead of one small room, she had walked into what looked like 18th century buildings were high and beautiful in that timeless fashion, but instead of looking dirty and worn, they looked brand new. The sky was also clear with a bright sun, but Appaci could feel a cool breeze coming from the left and she looked to see a flowing river, flashing in the light like liquid diamonds. The roads were bustling with what seemed like people, all talking rapidly in Italian, but the second she tried to touch someone, her hand passed right through with an electric crackle. Appaci looked down to see the trail was still there and followed it, walking through several beautiful places until she stopped. The trail lead right to Connor, who had hi back turned to her while looking up at the Torre dell'Orologio clock tower.

She walked behind him. "Connor."

He didn't turn around, but said in a calm voice "I didn't think you'd come looking for me." She walked beside him and looked up at the clock tower with him.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"We're in one of the TARDIS holographic rooms. It can be set to look like any place at any time, but as I'm sure you've noticed, it's almost all fake."

"Almost?"

"The only thing that's real here is the sky, in a sense. No matter what, even at default, the sky's always here and like that."

She didn't respond. Then she said, "Dante told us. About where you came from, and your…" she hesitated, not wanting to sound prying, but Connor finished it, "My curse."

Appaci was struck at how coldly he said that and asked, "So it's all true?"

"That I came from another universe, and that I was cursed by Aphrodite to kill anyone who looked into my eyes who couldn't love me? Yes. Everything's true."

"And the reason I didn't…"

"Is because you can love me."

Appaci squirmed a little. She had never loved or even liked any males since she had become a hollow. They all had seen her as weak or a snack.

"Why did you leave? Your universe I mean." She asked quitely.

Connor was silent while the holographic people around them bustled around as he said, "Mute sound."

They heard a ding and all the sound around them stopped, leaving the people to wander around in silence.

"The gods would never kill me, which was true enough. They hated what I had done, tried to do, to them. But that didn't mean they couldn't make me hurt. I was hounded by monsters, every second of every day. Hades would have his second in command, Thantos, or death itself, let the worst monsters out of their prison Tartuarus, on the condition they would only hunt me. I never had a seconds rest, as the monsters didn't die like you or I could, but would dissolve into dust, only to reform in a matter of hours. On top of that, I couldn't look any one in the eyes who couldn't love me. Not that it mattered, the mere fact I was a vampire sent people running in fear of me, only they returned with pitchforks, swords, bows and arrows, to try and kill me. The gods let them wound me but never, ever kill." Connor said.

Appaci was appalled. "How could they allow that?!" She asked.

"The gods you may know here aren't much different from their counterparts in my universe. Oh, there are no real Greek gods here, but the stories are accurate when it comes to things they've done. Hera cursed Hercules to fly into a rage and kill his first family, then he was forced to do 12 tasks as penance for that. Then his second wife was tricked into poisoning him. Artemis shot Orion, who had loved another goddess, merely for spite. So tell me, do you truly believe the gods are as peaceful and good as you did before we started this conversation?"

Appaci looked down at the ground and chewed her lip before saying "No. No, I don't."

He continued, "The gods didn't kill me when I begged for death, after being turned vampire. They let me live a cold, lonely, miserable existence. Then I heard rumors of a cloak made of the souls of the Titan Kronos, king of the Titans and lord of time, and his father Ouranos, the sky itself. I spent a few years tracking it down, and when I did, I used it for a while. But when the gods found that I had, they sent every monster possible to hunt me. I would fight waves every half hour, never ending, so I used the power of the cloak to leave that universe behind forever."

Appaci was a little startled when Connors eyes looked wet. "I was forced to leave home without seeing the grave of my closest friend, or my adopted family, and then I spent years wandering soul society's outskirts, keeping to myself. Then I found the clan that took me in. for a while, it was enough. Then, you know what came after that. Azien betrayed soul society, and they made efforts to see if dangerous rumors were true, and if so, eradicate them." He finished.

He took a deep, shuddering breath and fell silent. Appaci looked at him, his face hard and yet so sad. She looked down at the ground and said, "Before I was an Arrancar, I was hunted by other hollows. I wasn't very strong, being a more passive hollow. The male hollows hunted females because they saw us as weaker, a mere snack to increase their own power and evolution. Then Master Tier came. She had saved me from being eaten by a hollow, then brought me to the cave where she had gathered Sung-Sun and Mila-Rose, both still mid-level hollows. Tier said she had gathered us because if were wanted to fight male hollows, better to do it in a group and work together then fight alone and die."

They stood there for a while, just looking up at the tower, and then Connor said, "Thanks for listening. It… it helped I guess."

"Same to you."

Connor hesitated, and then he took Appaci's chin in his head, turned her towards him and kissed her forehead, and said "No problem."

Then he let go of her and said, "Deactivate hologram."

Everything flickered and frizzed before it all seemed to dissolve, melting to the ground and leaving nothing then a giant box with green lines making black cubes on the floor, walls, and ceiling, except for a metal door near the wall behind them. Connor walked out of it and said, "The TARDIS will help you find your way out. Thanks again for listening."

Then he walked out of the door, leaving Appaci alone and a little stunned. She raised her left hand to lightly touch the spot where he had kissed her forehead.

_Same time, 5 minutes after Appaci left_

Sung-Sun was glancing at the TARDIS every few minutes, the temptation becoming greater with every glance. She really wanted to ask Dante something, but she felt like she'd be intruding if she did. Then finally it was too great to resist.

She stood and said, "I'm going to talk to Dante. I have something I want to ask."

"Make sure he's okay." Tier said. "Telling Connor's story couldn't have been easy."

"I will."

She walked into the TARDIS and approached the console. Feeling a bit stupid like Appaci, she said, "I'm looking for Dante."

The console beeped again and lit up a path way underneath her, only this one was red instead of white, and it snaked down the hallway going the opposite direction. Sung-Sun followed it and realized the path was similar to the one Dante had taken to show them around. Sure enough, she ended up outside the library. She walked in and found the light still lead her deeper into the library. Eventually she found Dante sitting with his back to her, sitting in a big arm chair. His feet were also propped on a low wooden table which was covered with several thick books bound in leather. He was currently looking at a book and when she glimpsed a page over his shoulder, it was decorated in old fashion, with a man figure sending a lightning bolt down on another from the top of a mountain. She saw some words but… was that Greek?

"It's rude to look over people's shoulders without permission." Dante said, his eyes still glued to the book.

"Sorry." She walked to his shoulder and looked at the cover of the book, but she could see she was right. The title was Greek, both literally and metaphorically.

"Where did you get this?" She asked.

Dante put the book on the pile in front of him and said, "Most of what you see here was collected by my dad through the centuries. He spent close to 1,000 years traveling, then another 399 with me."

Sung-Sun sat down in a chair across from him. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Your father was a time lord, and they were explorers."

"Correct."

"But how is that possible? Everything eventually dies that's organic. How did your father cheat that? Or you for that matter?"

Dante sat back in his chair and stippled his fingers, looking like a professor talking to his student in his study.

"That's a discussion to have at another time with the others. But that's not why're you're here, is it?"

She looked down and shook her head. She felt a little embarrassed and intruding, but the question kept gnawing at her mind.

"What's wrong, Sung-Sun?" Dante asked, sounding tender.

She took a deep breath and said, "I just don't know how you and your dad did it? How could you spend 400 years jumping all over time and space? It just sounds like you were running from everything you found. Why?"

Dante was silent for a while and when she dared to look up, Dante had a glazed look on his face. He then said in a calm tone, "Running. That's a fair description of what we did. But not for the reasons most people do, to escape something."

He leaned forward and said, "Do you know who big the universe is Sung-Sun?"

"Uumm… big?"

"_Huge, _Sung-Sun, huge. And time is even larger. This planet is a small corner of a small galaxy, which is a small corner of the universe. And the universe is in an infinite cycle of creation, the big bang, and destruction, the big crunch. An infinite cycle. And when the big bang happens, something wonderful and new burst forth, but then the crunch happens, and that disappears."

He stood up and started pacing as he went on.

"But that's replaced with something original again. My father and I ran around together, sometimes with my mother, but we we're running to escape. No! We were running to arrive! We wanted to see all the wonderful things that the universe had to offer, and to remember that, before it was destroyed by time and the cycle of destruction and rebirth. We wanted to see the things flare at their brightest point, then see when it faded to its darkest point. Can you possible say you've ever truly seen that?"

Sung-Sun looked at him as if he was crazy, but what he said made sense. Seeing something as it was created, seeing the creation of something new, was a rather touching experience. She had seen the creation of trust in her and the others when they had come back to help Tier fight that Arrancar that Tier had struck down long ago, until Azien had come and destroyed it.

"That's why we're always running. Because we couldn't stop ourselves from seeing everything we could."

He sat down and said, "And then it ended. My father was killed, and I found Connor. Then this happened."

Sung-Sun sat there for a while, and Dante sitting with her, then he said "if the Arrancar healers are as good I think they are, then Yammy's arm will've been healed for 5 minutes. We'll need to get to the debriefing."

He stood and said, "I'll walk you out."

They walked through the TARDIS until they reached the door.

Dante then said, "I'll see you and the others after the meeting. See ya."

And he walked out, leaving Sung-Sun feeling a little closer to him.

_Throne room, 10 minutes later._

"Welcome Espada, yet again." Azien said with his normal attitude of smiling and warm voice in place.

Unlike the normal meeting room, the Espada had taken places on either side of Azien, odds on his right, evens his left, while Dante, Connor, Yammy, and Ulquiorra were standing before him. Nntoria, Dante saw, had healed a little, but his skin was still blackened in places and he was looking at Dante with hatred in his eyes. But considering what Dante had faced before, Nntoria didn't scare him in the slightest.

Baraggan was looking at Dante in disgust as well, but it was simply because he was still bitter that Dante and Connor had beaten his fraccion.

"I see that Yammy has been healed, so I would like to move along with the debriefing of how the invasion went."

Indeed, Yammy was scratching his head with his newly healed arm, but the sleeves had been cut shorter so you could see a number 10 tattoo on his shoulder.

"Of course master Azien." Ulquiorra stepped forward and lifted a hand to his left eye. He plucked it out easily, but there was no blood or even a wince of pain from him as he did this. He held the hand before him and crushed the eye, but it dissolved into a powder instead of a goop, working its way to Azien. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the images flickered behind his lids, as well as the others Espada. They saw everything that Ulquiorra had seen during the invasion, and since he had remained stationary and out of the fighting, it was easy for them to see everything.

Azien was interested in 2 key points. The first was when Orihime had healed chads arm. Like Ulquiorra, he knew that wasn't some sort of time or space reversion. Too fast, too clean, and too efficient. Whatever that power was, it was something completely original. And the other point he was interested in was the device that Dante had used to apparently scan Ichigo Kurosaki when he had been immobilized.

He opened his eyes and said, "Tell me Dante, what was that device you used?"

Dante said, "That, Azien, was a device that my father and time lords in general created, call a sonic screwdriver."

"Sonic screwdriver?"

Dante took out his and held it in his hand. **(****A/N: If I wasn't clear with the description earlier, it looks like River Song's future screwdriver.)**

"The sonic screwdriver was invented to do a variety of things, each designed by the time lord who wanted to use it. It can scan anything, interact with any sort of mechanical or electrical systems you care to name, and can be used by most anyone. Except mine, I designed mine to only be used by me or Connor."

Azien's professional curiosity was aroused as he said, "How is it able to accomplish all of this? The sheer amount of variety in technology would mean that it would have to change itself in order to interact with said technology."

Dante tapped his forehead with his screwdriver. "Psychic link. I simply need to think it, and it happens. For example…"

He pointed his screw driver at the door to the room and clicked it on. In seconds the door opened to show the lights in the hallway flickering on and off before stopping and plunging the hall in darkness. Dante clicked it off and stuck it back in his pocket. "It's nothing to worry about, just a small power surge. It'll take 10 minutes to fix."

"Interesting."

"Is that all?"

"Not quite. I want to know why you stopped Yammy from attacking Ichigo Kurosaki when he was unable to move."

Dante looked innocent as he said, "Well, with all due respect Azien, you told us to study Ichigo, not beat him to a pulp, so I thought I should stop Yammy before he destroyed the thing you sent us to look at."

Azien looked at him pointedly, then said, "Very well. You two may leave, I want a private word with the Espada."

Dante bowed low and said "Of course, Azien," None of the noticing that he dropped something from his hand behind his back, something no bigger than a small ball of dust. It matched the color of the floor perfectly and as it hit, it grew several small legs and scurried away into the shadows.

Dante then straightened and left with Connor, just leaving as the lights flickered back on. Apparently the electric problem had been fixed.

The door closed and Azien said, "Now, I have something I want to address. Recently, Nntoria had attacked Tier's fraccion, and Dante and Connor helped them, though Nntoria tried to seriously injury Dante, and failed. I want it clear he is not to be harmed."

"_Wait a minute."_ Annerioa said in a squeaky voice. "_You mean…_**Nntoria was defeated?"**

Halfway through, his voice changed to that of a deep growl.

Grimjow barked out a laugh and said, "If he can defeat Nntoria, what's Nntoria doing as the 5th Espada.

Azien interrupted before a fight could break out and said "The fight was interrupted before a clear winner was determined, but this is clear. Dante is not to be killed or maimed, under any circumstances."

Baraggan and Nntoria looked put out by this. So much for getting rid of him.

"However, you may spar with him at any time, so long as he's not killed."

Baraggan and Nntoria now smirked. Well, beggars can't be choosers.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Okay last piece. Steady…"

It was a few hours after Azien had called the debriefing meeting and Dante was working on some machine that lay disassembled on a work bench in a small work room. And he was just about to put in a very unstable energy source and nothing could allow it to miss its mark.

"Steady…steady…steady…"

"Dante!" this shout was accompanied with the door to the work room opening with an enormous bang!

"AAHH!" Dante jerked and the energy source, which was a small ball the size of a marble jerked out of his hand.

"AAHH!" Dante shouted again as he started a mad scramble to catch the marble in midair, looking like he was doing some mad dance as his hands knocked the marble sized item around until finally he managed to catch it by the tips of his fingers, hunched over towards the floor and breathing extremely hard. he got a better grip on the marble and stood up to see Appaci was standing there and looking at him in confusion as he shouted, "I BELIVE I PUT A SIGN ON THE DOOR THAT SAID 'DO NOT DISTURB'!"

Appaci looked surprised and opened the door enough to see indeed on the handle was a sign that said do not disturb, similar to those you might see in a hotel.

"Sorry, didn't see that. Uumm…." She looked over his shoulder at the work bench and what was on it. "What are you working on?"

"A little project of mine and this piece…" he held up the marble, which was shifting colors like a rainbow. "…is the power source for it, and it's extremely unstable! If this had hit something like a wall it would have…!"

He stopped since he had waved his arm in an expansive gesture and the marble slipped from his hand. He and Appaci watched it fly in slow motion towards the table. Dante yelled, "OUT!", and shoved Appaci out of the door, then slammed it shut just in time.

Just as he latched it, there was a massive boom from inside and a great deal of black smoke poured out. Dante waved his hands to clear the air as he muttered "Oh great. That's going to take forever to fix!"

Appaci coughed in the smoke while waving her other hand and said, "What's with you and explosions!?"

"It's not my fault! These things just seem to happen!"

"Sure! And I'm sure you draw enemies as well!"

"Those too." Dante muttered.

He opened the door and let the smoke pour out for a few minutes until it had cleared enough for him to see that the marble had exploded on the table, right next to his project. Thankfully it didn't look too badly damaged, but the space where the marble hit the table was neatly carved out in a circle. "I need to find a better energy source then that stuff."

Appaci walked and looked at the same spot as she asked, "What was that anyway?"

"Some compressed matter. Since matter is basically frozen energy, if you can compress it to extreme limits it can be used as power. But if not treated properly it can explode like you just saw. By the way, what were you doing here?"

"Mistress Tier wanted us to show you around Los Nochas a little more so you could get your bearings on your own. Mila Rose went to get Connor."

Dante checked his watch on his right arm for the time and noticed it was close to an important event. Right on schedule.

"Sure, what the heck? I need to get some fresh air anyways. Where's Sung-Sun?"

"She's waiting outside."

Dante cast one last look at his project and decided he'd fix it later. This was more important. "Alright, Allons-y!"

"What?"

"It's French for 'let's go'."

And with that the two made there way to the exit of the TARDIS.

_10 minutes later_

Dante was walking with the others, his hands in his hoodie and not really paying attention to the others talking. His mind was wandering since he knew he could easily find his way around this place. His mind was more on what would happen in the future.

"Dante?"

He blinked as Sung-Sun snapped her fingers in front of him and said, "You zoned out."

"Sorry." Dante apologized. "My mind does that where it just checks out. Can't help it."

Appaci snorted and said, "Then what's the point of showing you guys around if you don't pay attention?"

Connor tilted his head and said, "Well, we learn a bit more about each other. That never hurts."

Appaci glanced at Connor, blushed very slightly, and then looked away. She was still uncomfortable around him since he had given her that kiss on the forehead. She opened her mouth as Mila Rose said, "Also, I had a question Dante."

Dante looked at her. "Shoot."

"Why do you call the Ultramatrix a limiter? I've never seen you use any sort of powers from it."

Dante looked at it and said, "Because if I use it, then I give myself away. I believe you should save your trump cards for people you mean to truly fight. Like that bastard Nntoria."

"But…" Mila Rose started.

Then she was cut off by a loud arrogant voice that said, "Well, well. Our 2 new recruits."

They all looked forwards to see somebody coming from around the corner. It was hard to know if it was a he or a she, since he had a male voice, but his hair cut, which was black, was cut like a girls. He was wearing robes like Sung-Sun's, long sleeves that covered his hands, but it also was open at the collar, showing off his neck, which was slightly thicker then the average guy here. He had some sort of hair clip in his hair, and his eyes and manner broadcasted arrogance.

"Have we met?" Dante asked.

The guy snorted. "No. but I've heard a great deal about you and your friend. The time traveler and vampire, Dante Price and Connor Smith. But if you're wondering, my name is Luppi."

Dante and Connor stared at him, then both of them brought a hand to their mouths and coughed into it several times, bent over at the hips, then shot back up and burst out laughing.

Mila Rose, Appaci, Sung-Sun, and Luppi all stared at them in shock until Luppi blushed angrily and shouted, "And what the hell's so funny?"

Dante kept laughing and hugged his stomach as he said, "Hahah… what… what kind of name is Luppi. All you have to say is loopy and there you go! That's way too easy to make fun of."

Connor wiped his eyes and said, "Oh, the jokes I could make."

"You guys think you're sooo funny don't you?!" Luppi snarled.

"And that you look like a girl? Yeah, pretty much."

That did it.

"Laugh at this! Strangle, Trepadora!"

As they watched, Luppi transformed into his released state. It manifested as eight enormous tentacles, with a bone cowl also appearing on Luppi's head. Each of the tentacles was connected to Luppi at one of the corners of an octagonal design fixated on his back, which was very similar to the Chinese Ba Gua symbol..

"Anybody for fried squid tonight?" Dante asked.

"Laugh at this!" Luppi yelled.

He whipped his arms forward and sent them all towards the group. Dante hadn't brought any weapons with him, and Connor had left his cloak behind, but their reflexes were fast enough to dodge through the arms and get some distance while the others used sonido to get away. But Luppi used his own sonido to get behind the girls and used 3 arms to wrap around them and pin their arms.

Luppi smirked. "Looks like you're not as fast as you'd like to think you are."

Appaci looked at him and said, "Dante and Connor will take care of you."

Luppi looked at them to see Dante and Connor ready as Luppi said, "Doubt it."

Then he hurled the rest of his arms at them. Dante crossed his arms and blocked the first 2 that hit him, but they pushed him backwards into the wall and the other 2 hit him in the stomach, causing him to cough up slight amounts of blood. Connor was dodging and knocking the tentacles aside like flies. Dante pushed the two from his stomach and hands and yelled, "Connor! Stay back!"

Connor and Luppi stopped to look at him as Dante said, "I'm taking on this overgrown sqiud myself."

Luppi laughed madly as he said, "You can't hope to take me down Dante! I didn't even use my full power, and your already panting."

Dante brought up his arm and popped up the dial on his Ultramatrix, and said, "What a coincidence. I haven't used any of my powers yet either."

Dante turned the dial to one that looked like an x-ray of a person's head, the brain shown in black, but with several wavy lines emitting from it. He slammed down on the dial and a burst of red light came from the watch, blinding the group, but when it cleared, Dante looked the same as before.

Luppi snorted and said, "And what was the point of that? To show off?"

Dante stood and tilted his head to crack his neck, then straightened and said, "Ever heard the saying 'mind over matter', Luppi?"

Dante got into a runners stance and muttered, "Enhance."

The next thing Luppi knew, he was flying backwards at high speed, and his stomach feeling like it had been hit by a freight train before hitting the wall and crashing through. Mila Rose and the others landed on their feet and stared at Dante, who was standing right where Luppi was, hunched over like a linebacker who had just hit someone in the gut.

He stood and brushed off his shoulder and said, "Haven't used these powers in a long time. I'm a little rusty."

"What the hell was that?!" Appaci exclaimed. "You moved as fast as we do with sonido!"

"I promise you, I will explain what just happened later. First things first, I need to knock down this guy a few pegs." Dante said reasuring her.

He then heard something shift beyond the dust and whipped his head around to see 4 arms shoot out at him. He crossed his arms and took the hits skidding backwards into a wall, where he crashed.

"Not so cocky now are you Dante?!" Luppi shouted as he climbed back through the hole in the wall, his clothes slightly ripped and he himself bleeding slightly from the mouth. The dust cleared on Dante's side to show him looking practically uninjured from the hits. Dante grabbed one of the tentacles and said, his eyes cold and looking at Luppi.

"Do you ever shut up?"

Luppi snarled and yanked his arm, trying to dislodge it from Dante's grip, but it failed to move. Dante smirked and said, "I have powers you could scarcely imagine Luppi. Try this."

He held out his other hand."Blast."

Dante punched at Luppi's face, 30 feet away. Luppi laughed and said "Idiot. How do you expect…"

He was cut off as something hit him in the face, sending him flying backwards as far as he could until he was stopped by his own arm. Dante yanked it back to reel in Luppi and as he flew back to Dante. He grabbed him by his throat and said, "Leave me and the rest of my fraccion alone."

"No chance Dante! You're dead for humiliating me!" Luppi snarled.

With that, Luppi's tentacle that was held in Dante's hand burst with several spikes from the inside, skewing Dante's hand and piecing deep into his side. Dante coughed up blood and let go of Luppi, who laughed and kicked Dante in the chest, where he hit a wall and fell face down on the ground, blood spreading from his side.

"Dante!" the group cried. Connor ran towards Luppi and kicked him away from him while Sung-Sun and the others ran to Dante. They saw he was losing a lot of blood, the spikes having hit his lung and just above his stomach. He was breathing shallowly with his eyes closed.

Sung-Sun got one arm under his shoulder and Mila Rose got the other as Appaci said, "We need to get him to the healers! Now!"

"No…"

They all started as Dante breathed out that word. He opened his eyes and said, "No healers…"

"Dante will be fine! Just give him a minute!" Connor shouted over the sounds of the fight.

Luppi laughed and threw a tentacle at Connor, which he deftly knocked aside with a punch. "He's done for. Nobody can take a hit to the lung and live!"

Connor glared at him. "Dante. Time to prove him wrong."

"Yeah. And it feels like it's starting now." Dante grimaced.

"Will you guys stop being so stubborn and…and…", Appaci had started to shout but was stuttered into silence as she and the others saw the holes in Dante's side shrink and close up, not even leaving a scar.

Dante's eyes cleared and he managed to stand straight up. "Okay, now I'm mad."

Luppi stared at him in horror and stuttered, "H-how did you heal that? You don't have any sort of powers like that!"

"No, I don't." Dante agreed. "But this is one of my favorite powers."

He held his arms above his head and opened his hands. "Trance."

As they watched, something began to materialize in the space before his hands. It looked like some sort of silver rod, but as he grasped it, it rapidly grew an odd scythe at the end. Instead of blades, it had 3 needle like protrusions extending from a cut off part of the blade, while the blade itself was black. The entire thing was as tall as Dante was.

Dante set the butt of the new weapon on the ground. "This is one of my favorites in this form. Mind jack, insanity size."

The girls were looking at Dante in shock. How the hell did he just create that weapon out of nothing?! Then Connor said, "We might want to step back. That thing is dangerous."

"How?" Mila Rose asked.

"The same way Dante's always been dangerous. Mind games. Now we need to go. And no matter what, do not scream."

He and the girls retreated 30 feet down the hall way as Dante picked up his scythe and held it in both hands and said, "Ready or not, here I come."

Luppi snorted and started to say, "That thing will never even get close…"

Then he was cut off as Dante was suddenly in front of him and slashed with his scythe at Luppi's throat. Luppi winced and stepped back out of pure instinct, which allowed the blade to whirl past his throat. Dante spun on one heel and slashed upwards, but Luppi jumped upwards to dodge and sent down his tentacles at Dante with a shout of, "You freak!"

Dante kept spinning on his heel and leaned back with his knees, allowing him to dodge the last blow which was sent at his head while supporting himself with a free hand. He went into a hand stand and pushed up, flying towards Luppi, poised for a final blow. 'Winner takes all huh?' Luppi thought. 'He's going down!'

Luppi brought all of his spirit energy into his tentacles ends and threw them at Dante from and sides. He spun in mid-air and collided with them at once, releasing a blast of white light. When it cleared, Luppi saw that Dante's scythe had shattered into a thousand little pieces, while Dante himself looked shocked. Luppi was a little shocked himself, but that was replaced quickly with joy as he laughed and said, "You lose Dante!"

Then all of his tentacles grew spikes and he brought them down in a mad pummel, hitting Dante into the ground while riddling him with holes. He did this for 3 seconds, and at the end of it, Dante's body was so full of holes, it was worse than Swiss cheese, blood everywhere, and Dante was unmoving with his eyes having rolled back in his head.

"Weakling." Luppi said as he turned to walk away, ready to go back into his sealed state.

"You could at least pay some respect."

Luppi froze. What the hell? He slowly looked back to see Dante looking at him calmly, despite the blood pouring from the multiple holes in his body. "Whenever you defeat a strong opponent, you should always pay your respects."

"What the hell? How are…?" Luppi started to ask.

Then something happened to Luppi's vision. It started to get fuzzy, like it was becoming full of static. He shook his head.

"What's going on?!" He asked.

He looked back at Dante's body and saw it vanish, the blood on the floor and his tentacles fading away until nothing was left. Then Luppi heard from behind him, "But then again, you weren't very strong."

Then Luppi felt something hit the back of his neck and he knew nothing more.

_With the Connor and the girls_

The girls watched Dante fight with his scythe and the speed at which he was fighting.

"How's he moving so fast? When he fought Mistress Tier, he couldn't move that fast or with that much control."

"Dante will explain later. He's going to need to." said Connor.

The girls watched as Dante collided with Luppi and were also blinded by the flash. They saw everything he did, but when Dante had been hit and appeared dead, Sung-Sun felt like she was unable to breathe. Then all of their visions went fuzzy ad when it cleared, it showed Dante was standing behind Luppi with his hand ready to chop his neck. He said something to him before doing that, and letting Luppi fall into the hole he had smashed into the floor, where he went back into his sealed state. Dante looked at him for a few minutes before he walked to the group and said "So, what…"

He was cut off as Appaci punched him in the face. Dante stumbled back and held his right cheek in his hand.

"What the hell was that?!" She shouted. "Why the hell did you heal, and what the hell was that scythe!?"

Dante sighed ad rubbed his cheek. "Let's find Tier. This is something she should know as well."

They walked away then, Dante only stopping for a brief instant to look up at the ceiling, right into a camera to the security bank where Azien, Gin, and Tosen would be able to review what had happened.

'The countdown to checkmate has begun.' Dante thought.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Tier was currently sitting in her room, looking out at the desert area between the palaces of the Espada and thinking of a few things, most of them related to Dante. He definitely wasn't like the other men here. They looked down on here and her fraccion, Nntoria and Baraggan being the worst, yet Dante had chosen them not because of what they were, but whom and she had to admit she liked him. He had truly tried to get to know them and seemed to understand her aspect of death, sacrifice, the most. He had clearly sacrificed much in his time with his father.

But his father… Dante was very vague about him. Whenever they asked him about him, Dante had made some veiled comment then changed the subject. He was hiding something, but she decided she wouldn't pry. Everyone had their right to secrets.

She heard a knock at her door. "Enter."

The door opened and she turned to see Sung Sun, who was looking pale. Tier was immediately worried as she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Dante's asking for you. He said he has something to tell us, now." Sung Sun said slowly.

Tier was confused. If that was all, then why did Sung Sun look like she had seen a ghost?

In a few minutes, she knew.

_TARDIS, 3 minutes later_

Dante was standing with the others in the control room of the TARDIS, leaning against the console while looking at the floor and looking tensed slightly as they waited for Sung Sun to come back with tier. Connor was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed ad eyes closed, seemingly meditating. Mila Rose and Appaci were opposite of them and uncomfortable with silence, along with what they had seen, so nobody talked as they waited.

The door to the TARDIS opened and Sung Sun walked in with Tier. "What's…" She started, then the question died in her throat as she saw Dante's ripped clothes and the holes right where he had been pierced by Luppi's spikes.

"What happened?"

Dante pushed off the console and said "A fight. Cost me something valuable as well. But the reason I called you all here is because I haven't told you a few key points about me and time lords in general."

"What are you talking about?" Tier asked.

Dante sighed and started to press buttons on the console.

"I that my father was 1,000 years old. Most time lords could live that long, some longer, but the didn't stay in those forms."

"What?" She asked feeling lost.

"Time lords were organic, living breathing, so of course, they would have to die of old age, like everything."

They all nodded slowly.

"But time lords, thanks to evolution, had a way to cheat death."

They all felt shocked. Cheat death?

"Not in the literal way they could work their way out of dying, but this is what happens."

He pushed one final button and a hologram appeared besides Dante. It was a digital model of a human, but had no features at all; just neon green lies showing an outline.

"Now, time lords were gifted with a special chemical called lindos that they were born with, in packets, it's theorized, of 12. This chemical would be released in their body just as they were dying, whether it would be of old age or serious injury, to make it so they regenerate. One regeneration for each packet, so 12 regenerations"

As they watched, a small red light appeared in the place of the brain off the hologram, which spread fairly quickly.

"Now, this chemical works on the body, rapidly penetrating all of it to replace and heal whatever needs to be treated. So the old cells would be replaced with new one, and damaged cells the same. With me so far?"

They all nodded.

"But there's a catch. Each time a time lord regenerates, their body isn't kept the same. They receive a new body every time they regenerate."

They all froze. Appaci then said "What?"

Dante lowered his head. "Every regeneration shifts the location of the cells, enough to change physical appearances, and to a lesser extent, mind. Time lords keep the memories of their previous regenerations and most of the personality, yet each regeneration unique in its own way."

"Then…you…" Appaci stuttered

"No!" Dante said, looking sharply up. "I've never gone that far into regeneration. You see, my father fitted my Ultramatrix…" ,he rolled up his sleeve and held it up. "…with a special limiter. I'm allowed 12 life threatining injuries before I have to regenerate, like a barrier. That's how I was able to heal myself after being speared in the side and lung"

Tier reached out and grabbed the hand railing, as did the rest of her fraccion. She swallowed, her throat feeling dry, before she asked, "How many barriers do you have left?"

Dante looked at the Ultramatrix, twisted the dial a few times before looking up. "None. I've used up all the barriers. The next serious injury I receive will trigger a regeneration."

They all looked at Dante in awe. A way to cheat death, but costing you what you currently look like? That was a heavy trade? And to be honest, they were all starting to like Dante for who he was. "We'll keep you safe. That way you won't get hurt so don't have to regenerate." Sung Sun said.

Dante smiled weakly. "I appreciate the thought, but I've always fought my own battles. It's just who I am." He looked at the Ultramatrix one last time before saying, "I owe you one last explanation. The powers I used in my fight with Luppi. But let's head to the kitchen, I'm starving."

Dante lead the way with the others to the kitchen, which was decked out with several advanced appliances, from a blender with 20 different settings, to a cooking range that wouldn't be out of place in a restaurant, and a huge walk-in freezer. Dante went to the cupboards and started pulling out ingredients, asking the girls, "You want anything to eat?"

They all shook their heads and Connor said "I'll take a small burger."

"Coming up."

Dante pulled the ingredients that he would need for the burger. Getting the raw hamburger meat from the fridge and molding a small handful into a patty. He grabbed a small frying pan from the cupboard and put the patty in the pan as he started to explain his powers, the others taking seats on stools near the counter.

"In order for you to understand my powers, I need to cover some ground rules first. You know how humans are only able to use 10% percent of their brains at any point?"

Nods all around.

"Well, there's a reason for that. You see, humans use to be able to use 100 percent of their brains long ago, and using that allowed them access to dangerous and powerful abilities. These were call psionic powers, and they came in 3 different categories. Blast, trance, and enhance."

Dante stopped for a second before continuing. "The 3 categories were home to what humans call make-believe powers. In trance, you had telepathy and illusions. The scythe I used before was a manifestations of my trance powers."

"But what was that flash of light when it broke?" Sung Sun said.

"Purposeful." Dante said, jerking the pan up to flip the burger in the air, the it fell back to the pan with a sizzle "You see, that scythe was fast, but it's extremely brittle. The flash of light causes anyone who sees that light, except for the user, to get into someone's head and see an illusion. The closer you are to intended target, the more power you have over their minds."

"You've skipped something." Tier pointed out. "Why did humans lose these powers?"

Dante slid the finished patty from the pan to the bun waiting on a plate as he said "These powers put a dangerous amount of stress on the brain. The basis of psionic powers is imagination and holding an image in your head, but the stress of making that image a reality could be dangerous. If I had to compare it to something, I'd say lifting weights. If you lift too much as once, you could cause serious injury, but in the case of the brain, too much stress and you may never wake up from a coma, or even die. Humans found it hard to start slowly and work their way up. So they evolved a special limiter to reduce stress on the brain."

Dante put a slice of colby jack cheese, a leaf of lettuce, and then some ketchup and mustard on the burger before putting on the top bun and sliding it to Connor. He picked it up and started to eat.

"But I've been to a world in the future where humans settled, but the air of the planet deactivated their limiters. They could do some incredible things there. In fact…"

He popped up the dial on the Ultramatrix and selected the same image as before. He slammed down the dial again and when the burst of light faded. "… I'll show you one of the powers of the burst category."

Dante leaned against the counter and narrowed his eyes at the fridge. The girls didn't understand what he was doing, and then the fridge door opened. And unbelievably, several ingredient's Dante had taken out for Connors burger, including the meat, floated out from it and settled on the counter. Then a chunk of the meat floated up, compressed itself into a ball, then a patty, floated over to the pan and fell in with a sizzle.

"How are you doing that?" Appaci asked in amazement.

Dante took his eyes from the patty and said, "Burst deals with interactions between the real world and the mind. Its home to powers like pyrokinetics and telekinesis. Like I said, if you can _visualize _it and able to activate 100% of your brain, you can accomplish amazing things." Dante turned his attention back to the patty and saw it was time to flip it. He concentrated again and the patty lifted up in the air, flipped to its other side, then floated back down to cook on the other side.

"But why aren't you as affected?" Tier asked. "Based on what you said, we should see some strain when you use these powers."

Dante shook his head. "No, for 2 reasons. Number one, using these powers are like lifting weights. If you start small and work your way up, you can increase the amount of strain you can put on your brain before it starts to hurt. The brain is a muscle like everything else. It's all a matter of training it."

"And the other reason?" Sung Sun asked.

"I'm part time lord, so my brain is wired a bit differently. My mind is able to handle fantastic stresses before I even get a head ache thanks to my time lord human DNA. So using psionic powers is much easier for me. So I can easily do this."

Dante concentrated on them and they all noticed their stools lift smoothly off the ground and hover 3 feet off it, yet Dante didn't look tired in the least. Then they all floated down again.

"Impressive." Tier said.

Dante made a mock bow. "I aim to please."

He sniffed the air and smell the burger was ready. He focused and lifted it from the pan and onto the bun. The other ingredients floated on top of it, including some cheddar cheese, slice of lettuce and tomato, then pickles and ketchup. The last bun floated on top and it was finished. Dante turned off the stove top and lifted all the grease and burned bits of burger from the pan, leaving it spotless, then floated them to the garbage and dumped them. The rest of the ingredients floated back to the fridge as Dante took a bite of his burger.

"So you said that there were 3 categories of these powers. Blast, trance, and enhance?" Mila Rose asked.

Dante nodded and swallowed his mouthful of burger. "Yes. Enhance is the most useful when it comes to combat. Follow me and I'll show you."

Connor left his plate on the counter as the others followed Dante, still chomping down on his burger as he led the way.

They came to yet another door, looking like all the others, and Appaci asked, "How the heck can you find your way around here? Every door looks the same."

"Don't worry," Dante said. "she never lets us get lost. Or me anyway."

"She?"

Dante looked back startled, "The TARDIS. I didn't tell you that?"

"Tell us what?" Sung Sun asked, feeling nervous.

Dante leaned in closer. "The TARDIS is alive."

They all felt a chill run up their spines as he said this.

"Well, not alive in the sense like you or I am." Dante said straightening up. "It would be more accurate to say she's _functionally _alive. She is programmed to act alive."

Tier swallowed and asked, "Why?"

"Why else? You're traveling through time and space for hundreds of years, most of the time with no company, so what do you long for? Company. And the TARDIS was programmed to also run herself in a way. Repair herself and be able to make adjustments herself. That's also how you are able to find us. The TARDIS leads you to us herself. But I'll explain that more later. Come on, I still need to show you and explain enhance powers."

He led them into a room and they saw it was a gym, with several workout machines, and in the center of it was a boxing ring. Dante walked into it, ducking through the ropes and stood in the center, Connor joining him as Dante said, "Enhance is perhaps one of my favorite powers out of the psiconics. Enhance has to deal with your body. With the right amount of focus, you can increase your physical strength, speed, reflexes, and durability, all just by thinking it. To demonstrate…"

He turned to Connor. "Hit me."

As he took a bite out of his burger, Connor appeared in front of him and punched towards his gut, only for Dante to dodge to the side by leaning his body the side. Connor then tried swinging his other arm downwards, but Dante braced his hand against the ground and dropped down. Connor kicked, only for Dante to push up and propel himself up 3 feet. Connor tied one last spinning kick, but Dante managed to get the tips of his feet on the ground and push off to completely to dodge in a blur. They all blinked, and turned to see Dante standing perfectly balanced on the top rope, still chewing. He swallowed and said "And that's that."

"But how…" Appaci asked.

"Like I said, when you can use enhance, your body can react without you consciously moving it. For example, if I was to punch you in the face too fast for you to react, but slow enough to see, and you could use enhance, your reflexes would be enhanced to an extreme point that you would dodge without knowing you moved. In fact, your body could be paralyzed, but if you used enhance, you could dodge. It's extraordinarily handy in a fight."

He hopped down off the rope. "That's not all. Can one of you come up?"

Dante looked between them, then Appaci shrugged and jumped up. Dante stood in front of her. "Now, I want you to hit me as hard as you can. Don't hold back at all."

Appaci hesitated for a minute before pulling back her fist and driving it into his stomach with all her strength. Dante didn't even move as Appaci shouted "OW!" and hopped back while waving her hand fiercely.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU MADE OF!?"

Dante took another bite. "Enhanced energy. My durability can be increased to as hard as a rock."

Dante finished his last bite of burger and said "Well, that's all there is to it."

Dante twisted the dial on the Ultramatrix and turned back on the limiter on his brain, sealing away his psiconic powers again.

Dante clapped his hands. "Now, I believe I've explained everything of interest. So, off you go then."

They were a little taken back by the abrupt, but they walked out of the room one by one, but then Sung Sun stopped and turned back to see Dante sitting on the ropes, looking down at the ground and looking… tired. And so very old, like all those years were finally showing on his face.

"Dante?"

He looked up. "Yeah?"

She hesitated before asking slowly, "Is there…anything else? Anything you want to talk about?"

'More than you can possibly imagine.' He thought.

But out loud he said, "No, I'm fine Sung Sun. But thank you for asking."

She nodded and walked out, closing the door behind her. After a momment, Dante rubbed his eyes. He felt bad for not telling them everything, but they would never believe him if he tried to tell them. And they might trust him now, but he needed to get closer.

More than that, this reminded him of all the universes he had ever visited, with The Doctor, and by himself, and he couldn't help feeling weighed down with everything that had happened in them, that had gone right, gone wrong, and never happened. He just felt…old.

He then chuckled slightly and thought, 'It's true what they say. You don't appreciate what you had, until it's gone.'

_10 minutes later_

Sung Sun was sitting in her room and looking out at the desert area while thinking. Dante had told them of yet another power he had, yet when he had finished and dismissed them, he had seemed drained. And for that reason it weighed down on her mind.

'Why do I care about him so much?', she asked herself, looking up at the fake sky now.

First answer was because he was a team-mate. His state of mind would need to be in its right place in order to act and respond correctly to anything. But Sung Sun felt that wasn't it.

Second answer was because she was concerned as a friend. Dante had shown he didn't think of them as weak and useless because they were females. On the countrary, he seemed to think they were strong and able to think for themselves, yet was still there to provide support in battle and to just listen if need be. But that wasn't quite it either, but it was closer to the truth.

The third option was so unlikely, so…_ridiculous,_ it almost made her laugh and denounce the idea. But it refused to leave her mind, nibbling at the edge of her perception and nagging her until she considered it. And the more she did the more unlikely it seemed, yet it just felt…_right._

She couldn't possibly…_love _him.

Could she?

Hollows were famous for having holes somewhere on their bodies that showed they had no heart and the space was difficult to fill. Hers was in the middle of her stomach, where it was always hidden from view by her clothes. Yet she still couldn't get rid of the idea.

Then she thought, 'To hell with it.' And stood up. She'd talk to Dante and see what he thought.

She walked out into the hallway and started to walk to the boys' room. As she reached their door and opened it silently, she saw someone slip inside the TARDIS. She quickly moved to it and opened the door slightly to see Appaci standing at the console.

'What's she doing here?'

That question was quickly answered as Appaci said, "I'm looking for Connor."

The console beeped like always and a red path of light lead the way for Appaci through the TARDIS. Once she was gone, sun-sun approached the console. She remembered what Dante had said about the TARDIS being functionally alive. "Can you hear me?" she asked.

Nothing happened except for the console to beep randomly and Sung Sun said, "Okay, I'm looking for Dante."

The console beeped again and the white path of light flared, leading the way again. Sung Sun followed it for a long way, then found herself outside the same door where Dante had showed them his psiconic powers. She heard the sound of fists hitting something with a dull thud and the clink of chains. She walked in and looked around to see Dante was hitting a punching bag quickly with his face sweaty and a frown, and had changed clothes. He was now wearing a white muscle shirt and loose camouflage pants, held with a thick belt. Sung Sun could see he was built solidly, with his arms much thicker than they were lead to believe since they were hidden under sleeves of his hoodies, and she saw they were also scared, lines of almost white crisscrossing over his arms in several places, most long and straight, but a few were jagged. Sung-sun also saw some sort of tattoo on his upper arm that was in the shape of a flamimg skull, but it said ODST.

Dante was punching the bag with ever increasing force, his face getting darker and darker with every punch, until he punched the bag with such force, it broke off the chain and flew back 5 feet and hit the ground hard, the bag split and sand spilling out the side. Dante sighed and hung his head while rubbing the back off his neck, then he turned his back and grabbed another bag from the ground, lifted it with one hand, then clipped it on the chain. He held it steady before starting to punch it all over again.

"Dante?"

He stopped and turned his head. He nodded. "Sung Sun."

"You okay? You seem a little… distracted." She asked.

Dante rested his fore head against the punching bag. "Yeah. Yeah, just a little high strung right now."

He walked to the ring and grabbed a towel that was resting off one of the ropes, rubbing his neck and face. "What's up?"

"Uumm… I had a question."

"Shoot."

"Uumm…well, I was wondering.." but as she was saying that, she found her eyes going down to his chest, which she could clearly see the outline of through his soaked shirt.

"Hey." Dante snapped his fingers. "Eyes are up here." Pointing up at them

She shook her head and said, "Sorry. I was wondering… why do you seem so distracted lately? You just… don't seem yourself."

Dante leaned against the ropes of the ring, the towel hanging from his neck, and him looking at the ground. He crossed his arms and said, "I told you my dad traveled through the universe and time, exploring right?"

"Yes…"

"He did a bit more than exploring. When he found a problem in whatever place he arrived at, he investigated it." He shrugged and said "that was just in his nature. But whenever he found that the problem was serious, so serious that people would die, or were dying… well, he saved them."

Dante looked into her eyes and said "My dad fought things. Big things. He fought a parasite that was worshipped as a god, stopped a madman from destroying reality, saved entire worlds from being destroying, and…and this is something I'm proud of… he rebooted the entire universe."

Sung Sun stared at him with her mouth slightly open. She then swallowed and asked, "But… what's wrong with saving people?"

"Nothing. But that's the problem as well."

He then stood up straight. "My dad saved billions and billions of beings in the universe. And when I was born, he took me with him on his adventures. I've seen things that defy believe, and saved things from threats so huge, most people would crumble under the pressure. But those victories… they come with a cost."

He walked away from here and stood before the punching bag with his back turned.

"I've saved beings before. That's always easy. But I've also tried to do it alone. And when I couldn't, people would want to help. And I'd do everything I could to protect them. Most of the time I succeeded. But the rest of the time… someone died. Someone under my protection. Someone I could have saved!"

He punch the bag with such force it flew off the chain and flew back 20 feet, the other side burst clear open from the force.

"And I knew them! They knew me! They knew what I did and the dangers that came with it! But they always insisted on helping me! And I let them come! But… but I could never save them!"

Dante whirrled around with tears forming in his eyes.

"I've traveled with them all, fought alongside them all! And I've lost every single one of them!"

Then Dante broke down, tears pouring down the side of his face, heaving great sobs while he walked back to the ring and gripped the ropes with a grip of steel, still letting the tears our down.

Sung Sun was shocked. Dante had always been so collected and at ease, at times too lax. But this… this was something else entirely. Dante had so much hurt in his heart, but he did his best to hide it, letting people think that he was fine. Sung Sun gently put and hand on his shoulder and asked, "Why do you torture yourself like this?"

Dante spoke, through massive sobs, "What else am I supposed to do? I've lost everyone close to me. The only person who's stayed is Connor, and that's only because he's strong enough to stay with me. Everyone else insisted on coming, and I let them. Then I let them down. I couldn't save them."

Then he sat down on the ground, hugged his knees to his chest, and kept crying, his sobs echoing hollowly in the large space.

Sung Sun sat down next time him and waited for him to calm down a little. When he did, reduced to gasping, she said, "You can't save everyone Dante. That's impossible, even if you can travel through time and space. And you can't bottle everything up like this. You need to let it out."

Dante managed to go silent and stayed in that position for a while, before saying, "How? How can I let it out?"

Sung-sun put a hand on his shoulder and he lifted his head to look at her, his eyes red and slightly puffy, as she said, "By letting people know, what's wrong."

Dante looked forward and put his chin on his arms. "I can't. These are my problems. I can't burden others with them."

Sung Sun put a hand on his far cheek and turned his head to look at her, put his face in her hands and said, "You already have."

She then brought his face in to kiss him. At first Dante was tempted to reject the kiss. But then something in the back of his mind said, "_Just shut up and go with it."_ And it was a voice he had never heard before, but he didn't think much of it.

He then went with it and clashed his lips with hers. Both allowed their suppressed instincts to guide them as the two deepened the kiss. But then he felt something press against his teeth, trying to get into his mouth. It was…her tongue?! His mouth opened in surprise, allowing her to send her tongue into his mouth, stroking his wisdom teeth before touching his own tongue, coaxing him to play.

Well, two could play at that game. Dante quickly responded by pushing back with his tongue, forcing his own way into her mouth, going down her throat before engaging in a duel of tongues, a back and forth rhythm, with Dante having some *cough* experience, and was able to do things that sung-sun didn't know possible. Sung Sun on the other hand had some instinctive knowledge due to her snake nature, and her tongue moved fast and flexible, more so than any Dante had known. The two indulge in this for a few minutes before the need for air forced them apart. Both of them took deep breaths while looking into each other's eyes. Sung Sun was blushing like the sun while Dante had a smile on his face.

"Enjoy it at all?" Dante asked.

Sung Sun simply said, "Yes."

Dante chuckled. "Thanks Sung Sun."

"For what?"

He looked at her and smile. "For listening."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Same time as Sung-Sun_

Appaci had been sitting in her room and letting her thoughts wander. And for some reason they were returning to Connor and everything Dante had told her about him. The curse of Aphrodite that had been set on him and how she hadn't been affected.

Dante's words rang in her head. 'Because you are capable of loving him fully, Appaci.'

Love. That was a word that she had always scoffed at, but now that she had found someone she was apparently able to love, she felt…_weird._

'To hell with it.' She thought and stood up. She would talk to Connor.

Appaci left her room and walked to the boys room, then pushed open the door to the TARDIS. She then walked to the control panel and said, "I'm looking for Connor."

The path flashed underneath her and lead the path to Connor. She followed until she arrived at a door, with a sign that read _Combat Simulation Room._ Above it was a sign that was lighten up to show **IN USE**_._

She didn't hesitate and pushed open the door. She was then greeted by the sight of Connor fighting what looked like to be robots, in a gymnasium like room, as she saw him kick one in the gut towards her. It hit the wall next to her and slumped down before looking up at her. This was an odd robot. The face looked like dull silver color, but a human quality, and human like eyes, which were green. The rest of the body looked the same. (**A/N: it looks like the robots from the Will Smith movie I Robot)**.

The robot shot out a hand and grabbed her throat. Appaci was raised as the robot stood, struggling to get out of its grip as the robot said in a surprisingly human voice, _"You are a threat. Will you comply?"_

"Bite me." Appaci choked out.

She grabbed her left bracelet and detached it, flicked it to bring out the blades, then sliced through the elbow. She dropped down and landed on her knees, choking and hacking as she got her breath back. Then she looked up as the robot looked down at its arm, then her and said, _"You are a threat."_

It kicked her in the ribs and sent her flying backwards, skipping backwards. Appaci managed to skidded to a stop and thought, 'These things are strong. I felt like I got hit by Nntoria!'

She looked up as the robot leapt through the air, its remaining arm set to hit her. She used sonido to dodge to the side and glanced back as the robot hit the ground, shattering the wood and making a crater 10 feet across. Appaci used sonido again to get behind the robot and tried to slice of it's head, but the robot leaped forward, skidded while turning, and flew towards her, it's arm poised to strike, and moving too fast for Appaci to block as it threw a punch at her head.

Or tried to.

The robot was stopped as Connor appeared in front of Appaci and caught the fist easily. Connor grabbed the robots head and ripped it off with his bare hands. He turned his head and said, "You really shouldn't be here."

"I needed to talk to you."

"Yes well…"

He was cut off as another robot punched Connor across the face from behind Appaci, sending him flying forwards. Appaci whirled around and sliced the robots head off with ease this time, the head falling with a clunk to the ground. She grabbed and flicked her other blade, then used sonido to get next to Connor. "You okay?"

He stood and rubbed his jaw and said, "Fine. But let's finish this things before we talk."

The remaining 5 robots charged at them. Appaci threw her blades at one, but it leaped forward and spun to avoid it. Appaci dodged to the side and charged a quick bala, then punched at the robot, knocking it off course and to the side. As it hit the ground, and Appaci's thrown blade returned, she threw it at the robot and sliced it down the middle, at the waist. But as the blade returned, Appaci saw the robot start crawling towards them, dragging itself towards them again.

"What are these things!?" Appaci shouted as she used sonido to get beside the robot and slice through the head.

"Robots. NS-5 models that I set to kill for training!" Connor shouted back as he sparred with another robot before punching it in the chest, causing it to jerk before going limp.

"WHY?!" She shouted as she ducked below a punch before slicing the robot through the chest up, splitting it in half.

"Because otherwise I don't get a challenge!" He shouted as he ducked leapt back before flinging himself forward to shove the robot into the wall, where its head collided first and was crush into a pancake.

Appaci flipped over a robot as it tried to punch and grabbed it by the next while trying to slice it's head off. Then she felt something on her shoulders and looked to see… the robot's feet?! But that was cut off as she was thrown backwards and flipped to skid. The robot she had just tried to kill whirled around and charged forward. Appaci tried to slash, but the robot twisted itself out of the way, moving like an acrobat, and leapt over her before locking it's arm around her neck and started squeezing.

"Connor!" Appaci choked out.

He saw her predicament and leapt towards her, grabbed the robots arm and broke it clean off. Then he used it as a club and swung up under the chin, breaking it so it hung at an angle.

Appaci coughed and saw the last 2 robots standing side by side. Appaci quickly braced her feet against the floor and pointed her horn at them. Connor saw a red light building up in front of it and knew instantly it was a cero just before Appaci fired it, the light engulfing the robots and hitting the wall, where it exploded in a cloud of dust and wood splinters. Connor covered his eyes till it cleared and he lowered them when the wind died to show a mess. Appaci was breathing hard as she said, "You need to lighten up a little."

Connor just looked at the mess around them, the room in shambles, and simply said, "Maybe."

He walked out of the room as Appaci said, "Wait!"

Connor didn't respond as he walked out of the room and walked down the halls. Appaci followed him and found herself with Connor at the infirmary. He sat down on a bed, looking at the floor, and asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

Appaci sat down the bed opposite of him. But now that she was sitting across from him, she found herself unsure of what to say. She sat for a few minutes, then said, "When Dante told about you, he also told us about your curse. How anyone who looked into your eyes who couldn't love you completely would be killed."

Connor didn't respond. He just sat there, letting her talk.

"Was there…ever anyone you loved?"

Connor sat silent for such a long time, Appaci thought he never would.

"Once."

Appaci watched him as he began his story.

"Before I was a vampire, I traveled the world with sailors. I went many places, met many people. But there was one person that always stuck with me. Her name was Rebecca."

For some reason Appaci felt a little jealous at the way he said her name.

"She wasn't very rich. She was poor, her family dead. But she never unhappy. When I met her, she was kind to everyone. And very beautiful. She had deep black hair, sky blue eyes, and a laugh that would cheer up anyone."

Connor seemed deep in thought as he talked, but Appaci wanted him to stop. This wasn't really what she wanted to hear.

"She ran away with me when I and my friends sailed away. We went to several places all around the world. We fell in love. We were happy. Then _he _happened."

Connor looked up and his face was truly twisted.

"That vampire. He wanted revenge on one of our crew for killing his friend. And he did. But I happened to be with him at the time, and the vampire didn't kill me. He decided to make me like him."

Connor tightened his fists as he continued, "Then I became a vampire. I went back to my crew when I had regained my senses, and when Rebecca saw me, do you know what she did?"

Appaci shook her head.

"She screamed. She screamed at the top of her lungs and called me a monster. I then saw in that moment, everything I know shatter. My life, my love, my humanity. Everything."

Appaci was shocked to see tears running down Connors face as he recounted this to her.

"And then I ran. I ran and ran for as long and as hard as I could, until I collapsed in exhaustion. And I begged the gods I worshipped for so long and so much for death. And instead of my deepest wish, I received… absolutely nothing. No death. No reprieve. Just…life."

Connor let a single sob out before getting his emotions back under control. He then wiped his eyes and said, "Well, you know what happened after that. Dante's told you."

Appaci sat for a while until Connor snapped, "Well?"

"Well what?"

Connor rolled his eyes. "Generally after hearing something like that, people say something."

"Sorry. It's just… I can relate to some of that, I guess."

Connor leaned back and sat up straighter, not pushing but waiting.

"When I was a hollow, males always saw me as weak, and just a snack, simply because I was female. They all attacked me and I may have escaped, but of course, I was eventually cornered. A hollow had attacked me, and was about to devour me. Then… then Mistress Tier saved me."

Appaci then looked up at the ceiling. "She had taken me to a cave where she had gathered Sung-Sun and Mila Rose. Tier said that if we females were weak alone, then we should band together so we can be strong."

Appaci paused for a minute and continued, "We wandered Hueco Mundo for years. Ran into Baraggan a few times, and being the enormous arrogant bag of bones he is, demanded tier to join his army. Tier denied every time. But the last time, a hollow tried to get Tier to show 'respect.' Tier gave him a scar across the face in punishment for touching her."

Appaci rubbed her left arm which Connor noticed.

"Then it happened. The hollow that Tier had struck down somehow became an Arrancar and came back for revenge. She fought him while telling us to run."

"And you didn't."

Appaci then looked at him. "We did. But then it hit us all at the same time. Tier had put down so much for us, and brought us together. So we went back and fought beside her. But the Arrancar was too strong. We were defeated and about to be killed. Until…"

"Wait. Let me guess." Connor then put a finger to his forehead and closed his eyes. "Azien came out of nowhere and saved you from the Arrancar."

Appaci looked shocked by this asked, "How did you…?"

"Lucky guess."

Appaci looked skeptical, but didn't press it. "So yeah. That's my little life story."

Connor looked up at the ceiling. "It's interesting to say the least."

The two sat there for a minute, but Appaci felt weird. She knew Connor better on a personal level, and the same with her. And she wasn't sure what to make of it.

"You hungry?"

Appaci blinked. "Sorry?"

"You hungry at all?"

"No."

"Well, I need something to eat."

He opened the cupboard and took out blood pack and wineglass. He poured the blood into the glass, then gulped it down.

"Ugh."

"Bad batch?"

"Yeah. it's just blood is never as good as when it's fresh. And the older it gets, the worse it tastes."

And then Appaci said something she never thought would come from her mouth.

"Want some of mine?"

Connor blinked and stared at her. "Did I hear that right?"

Appaci was blushing so much she thought her head was about to burst into flames, but she nodded slightly and muttered, "Yes."

Connor leaned forward. "You're sure?"

"Yes."

"And know that you aren't in any way pressured to do this?"

"Yes." She said slightly annoyed.

"And you do know that this will hurt?"

"Yes! Now are you going to or not?!" Appaci snarled. She knew what would happen and this guy just kept asking!

Connor shook his head. "All right."

He put down his wine glass and moved over to Appaci's bed. She tilted her head to expose here neck. Connor still hesitated and asked one last time.

"You are absolutely sure about this?"

Appaci turned to glare at him. "You ask one more time and I am never extending this offer again."

"Fine."

Appaci turned her head again and Connor took a moment to find the pulse in her neck. Then bit lightly to pierce it, but not too deep.

Appaci winced as he bit, then felt him suck out her blood. She had to fight back a slight moan at the sensation of him sucking out the blood. He did this for half a minute before taking his mouth off, then quickly pressed his hand to her neck to stop the bleeding. He wiped his mouth on the back of his other hand while he said, "Hold your hand there for a second. I need to get some gauze."

Appaci did as he said as Connor grabbed some gauze from the cabinet beside her bed, and some masking tape. He put 4 layers on the bite wound, then held it there with the masking tape. He saw a bit of red bleed through, then it stopped.

"That'll hold until that heals over."

Appaci lightly touched the gauze, finding it itchy, simply said, "You've done this before."

"I was in a lot of fights." Connor said. "I would've had to learn to treat wounds. Plus the sailors I stayed with taught me to do this."

"So you never miss home?""

Connor looked up at her. "Would a man miss home if his home was hell? I don't think so. So to answer your question, no. I don't miss it. And I don't regret coming to this universe either."

Appaci was surprised by this. "Why? You lost your friends and adoptive family by coming here."

Connor looked at her and said, "Because I met you."

Appaci looked at him stunned, but then smirked and said, "Can you pick any line that's more cheesy?"

"Why? It worked to get through didn't it?" Connor said with a smile.

"Yeah. It did."

Then she did something that came to her out of pure instinct. She grabbed Connor by his neck and smashed her lips against his. Connor seemed to choke for a second out of surprise, but then he closed his eyes and put his hands around her neck. They slowly deepened the kiss, then started dueling with their tongues, a back and forth rhythm that reminded them of fighting, but they stayed like this for a while, but then something ruined it.

The door opened with a click and they heard a familiar voice say, "Hell-o."

Connor and Appaci leapt apart, then turned to see Dante in a muscle shirt and black camo pants, and his smirk looking smug beyond belief.

"Enjoying yourselves?" He asked.

Appaci's face was red with anger and embarrassment as she snarled, "That's none of your god damn business!"

Dante held up his hands in defence. "Hey, I'm not judging. But it looks like he gave you a rather nasty hickey there." He crained his neck to look at hers. Appaci suddenly realized he could see where Connor had bitten her.

"And what were you up to all this time?" Connor asked.

Dante's smirk fell. "I was…uumm…"

"Dante?"

Sung-Sun appeared behind him and stared to say, "Dante, what's…" then fell silent as she spotted Connor and Appaci, both looking very embarrassed and red. And being as smart as she was, Sung-Sun was able to put 2 and 2 together.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Then they both blushed for some reason.

"What are you doing here sung-sun?!" Appaci asked.

"I was…looking for Dante." She said quietly.

Connor looked at them both, their suddenly shy behavior, sung-sun standing rather close to Dante, and how they both glanced at each other before looking away. And it clicked. Connor smirked and said, "Seems you two enjoyed yourselves as well."

Appaci looked between Connor and then Dante and Sung-Sun before it clicked as well. She smirked as well and said, "So, you seemed to have fun as well Sung-Sun. I thought you were above that."

Dante and Sung-Sun were so red. Well, sung-sun was. Dante simply looked like her had gone to a much darker brown tinged with red in his cheeks.

Dante cleared his throat and said, "Okay, how about we all just agree that we won't tease each other about what they did. Agreed?"

Everyone glanced at one another for a moment. While Appaci would love to be able to tease sung-sun about this, she didn't want to be teased back. Connor felt the same way about Dante, so they said, "Agreed."

Dante clapped his hands and said, "Good. In that case, we'll need to get back out. If they've noticed, Tier and Mila Rose will be wondering where we are."

They all nodded and walked out. And with them holding hands. But lo and behold, when they got to the control room, Tier and Mila Rose were looking at the console as Mila Rose started to say "We're looking for…" then stopped as she looked up and said, "Oh. There you are. We were…wondering…" then she slowly cut herself off as she noticed what Appaci and Sung-Sun were doing. Her eyes went as wide as dinner plates as she looked at Dante and Sung-Sun, as well as Connor and Appaci... holding hands.

To say she was shocked was an understatement. She couldn't be more shocked then if you channeled all the energy from the TARDIS through her at once. Her mouth was hanging open extremely wide and her eyes were quite possibly wider. Tier was shocked as well, but then she also felt proud. Her fraccion may have developed feeling for them, but she didn't condemn them like she was sure the other Espada would. She was proud because her fraccion had someone who she could tell would genuinely care for and take care of them, but know they could fight on their own.

Mila Rose felt mostly the same. Though she did push Appaci's buttons, she did care for her on some level.. and seeing her looking slightly happy at the moment almost made her smile inside.

So she simply said nothing, while Tier said, "Well. This was unexpected."

"You're…not angry?" Appaci asked suprised.

"For you being happy? No. No, I'm not."

Sung-Sun and Appaci both smiled happily as Dante then said, "To what do we owe the pleasure Tier?"

"Simply checking on you. We hadn't seen you in several hours, and thought it might be important to make sure you were all right."

He bowed slightly. "I thank you for your concern, but as you can see, we're all fine."

He glanced at the Ultramatrix and started. He had lost track of time. The person they needed to meet would be close to Los Noches now.

"But Connor and I need to be going."

Tier blinked. "Why?"

"We we're planning to take a run outside Las Noches. Need some exercise besides simply fighting."

Connor's head turned to look at Dante and he glanced back, and gave his right eye a twitch. Connor knew what that meant. Time to bring a new player into the game.

Now normally Tier would object to this idea. But as she had learned to accept, Dante and Connor were far from normal.

"Fine. But get back here in 1 hour."

"Done!" Dante said with his best grin.

He went to the console and quickly grabbed two small capsules from the control panel, then quick went to Sung-Sun, gave her a quick peck on the lips. "See you later."

Sung-Sun was too shocked to say anything as he headed for the door, and without turning around, said, "Coming Connor?"

"Yeah."

He also gave Appaci a quick peck on the lips. "See ya." Then he left right behind Dante.

Mila Rose and Tier looked at each other, then Appaci and Sung-Sun, who were staring at the door. Tier chuckled and thought, 'Well, there's a sight I never thought I would see. They both look a little happy.'

Mila Rose was thinking the same thing, with the inclusion of, 'I can't believe Appaci is actually quiet.'

_With Dante and Connor_

Connor quickly summoned his cloak, then used it to transfer them to the outside of the dome of Los Noches.

"Where to now?" Connor asked.

Dante closed his eyes and let his instincts tell him which direction to go. Then his eyes snapped open ad he point off into the distance. "6 miles that way. 15 minute run. But we're taking a short cut."

He took out the two capsules and tossed one to Connor. He took a look at it and saw capsule corps Inc on the side.

"What's in these?" Connor asked.

"Vehicles that I thought would be good to use. You know the drill. Press and throw."

They both did this then tossed their capsules and they exploded in a burst of white smoke. When it cleared, it sowed two Galatic Empire land speeders. One black, the other red.

Connor rose an eyebrow. "Really? We couldn't just try something different."

"Nope. I love land speeders, land speeders are cool." Dante said as he went to the black one and hopped in, flipping switches and pulling a lever to activate his.

"You always make us use these." Connor muttered as he climbed into his and activated it.

"That's not true. I don't have us use them for walking."

"You use them so much we might as well."

"But then you wouldn't need feet to begin with." Dante said in a snappy tone.

"Smart ass." Connor muttered.

"I heard that!"

"Bite me!"

They both rode off then in the direction that Dante had pointed and 5 minutes later, they saw a cloud of dust.

"And there they are, right on time." Dante said looking at the Ultramatirx.

Connor stood up and looked at the cloud. "You sure about this?"

"If there's one thing I can do, it's to get people to like me."

Connor rested his face in his hands and thought about how that little _gift_ had gotten them into trouble.

Dante got out of his land speeder and pushed a button on the console to put it back into capsule form, which he then picked up. Connor did the same thing, then they both waited for the dust cloud to get closer and they saw who they expected to see. It was a group of 3 hollows, who were chasing what appeared and sounded like a little girl, who had some sort of green shroud and hood over her head as she ran crying from the group of hollows. 2 of them were humanoid, one with a tiki like mask, the other a insect head. The last was a long black, worm-like hollow

Dante then said, "Now."

Both of them blurred out of sight and after a few minutes, the 3 hollows that had been chasing terh girl were immobilized due to Dante pressing nerve points around their bodies, while the girl in question was standing there in shock. Dante knelt beside her and said, "You okay?"

"NO!" the little girl screamed.

"You wruined our game of eternal tag!" the girl cried, sounding like she hadn't learn to speak properly. Then she threw back her hood to show her face. She had green hair, a scar that traveled from her upper head to the middle of her face, large hazel eyes, a red mark across her face, but the real kicker, was the hollow mask set on her head, which looked cartoonish.

Dante looking surprised, asked,"You're a hollow?"

"Yes." The girl said. "My names Nel."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The 3 hollows and Nel were currently bowing with their faces down as the one with the insect head said, "We're very sorry for the misunderstanding! We never meant to have our game of eternal tag look like what you interpreted it to be!"

Dante held up his hands. "It's fine, you don't need to bow your heads. We're sorry for jumping to conclusions."

They all raised their heads as he said, "I don't know your names."

The one with the tiki mask said, "My name is Dondochakka."

Dante noticed he spoke in a slightly goofy way then slowly shook his head. "Could I just call you don for short?"

"Of course."

The one with the insect skull said, "My name is Pesche, and you already know Nel of course."

Dante nodded and knelt next to her.

"So you were playing a game?"

She nodded happily. "Eternal tag. It's a game my brothers made for us to play." Gesturing at Pesche and Dondochakka.

"And who's this big guy?" Dante asked nodding towards the worm hollow.

"This is Bawabawa," replied Pesche. "Our pet and friend."

Dante bowed his head. "Well, nice to meet all of you. My name is Dante Price, and this is my friend Connor Smith." He pointed at Connor, who hadn't said a word since the introductions began.

"I've newer seen hollows like you. What chlass are you?" Nel asked.

"None. My friend and I aren't hollows in any sense of the word. What I am is half human…"

"AAHH! HUMANS! THE BAD GUYS!" Nel shouted and pointing at him. Pesche and Don yelled and started running around in a panic as Dante said, "Wait! Wait a minute!" then waited for a few minutes for them to calm down.

He then said, "I said, I'm half human. Only half."

"What's the other half?" Nel asked fearfully.

Dante sat down in the sand then and crossed his legs. "I'm half time lord."

They all looked confused.

"What's time lord?" Don asked.

Dante smirked. "An alien race that invented time travel."

It took a minute for that to sink in, but when it did, Nel's mouth fell open. "Time travel?"

Dante nodded. "That's right. I'd suggest sitting down. This will take a while to explain."

And for a while it did. Dante started with the basics, explaining time lords, then the TARDIS, and then the large role they had played and how he had become half time lord. Nel's mouth kept dropping lower and lower and her eyes were being filled with childlike wonder at what Dante described.

When he finished she said, "Wow."

Dante chuckled. "That is the perfect word for time lords. They are very _wow_."

"But what are you doing in Hueco Mundo?" Pesche asked.

Dante's smiled fell. "Joining Azien's army."

They all struck silent.

"Why?" Nel asked.

Dante leaned foward. "Can you keep a secret Nel?" He whispered.

She nodded.

"Because the upcoming war is vital to the existence of the entire realms of the living and the dead. And if Azien wins, then eh will destroy everything. So Connor and I joined to take him down from the inside."

Nel's eyes widened. Pesche and Don shared glances. They had never heard of something like that, but they said nothing at the moment. Dante noticed the movement but made no comment. Then he clapped his hands and said, "But enough about that. Would you like to have some fun Nel?"

"How?"

Dante smiled. "Oh, I have a few ideas. Connor."

Connor looked at him.

"Can you get the ovum ready?"

He tilted his head. "I thought I couldn't use that,"

"You couldn't where we were before, but it's stable enough here that it won't degrade the fabric of reality."

Connor shook his head. "Okay."

He closed his eyes and lifted his arms, holding that pose for a minute, before snapping his eyes open. "It's ready."

The cloak floated off of him and hovered before him before turning pitch black.

"W-what's that?" Nel asked in a scared tone.

Dante knelt next to her and put a hand on her shoulder in reasurance. "It's a place where you can make anything you want, so long as you can picture it. It's scary at first, but then it gets bright. And everyone can come if they want."

Don and Pesche shared glances again. They didn't sense any malicious feelings from Dante or Connor, so Pesche asked, "Would you like to go Nel?"

She looked down at the ground, then back up. "Will you hold my hand?"

"Yes."

"Then okay."

Pesche held Nel's hand as Dante led the way into the darkness, the others following behind them. They walked in darkness for a few seconds, then the darkness lifted, only to show the same landscape they had supposedly just left.

Nel looked around and said, "What's wrong? We didn't go anywhere."

Dante smiled. "Actually, I thought it would be best if we started in a place you were familiar with. But here's prove."

Dante pointed at the moon. "That never changes from a crescent moon, correct?"

Nel nodded. "Yes?"

Dante smiled. Then he turned back to it and furrowed his brow in concentration, and as they watched, the moon seemed to change shape until it was a full moon, shining a bright, silver light across the plains of Hueco Mundo.

"Oohh." Nel stared in awe.

"But I can do even better."

Dante spread his arms before the land scape before him and took a deep breath. As they watched, something that looked black seemed to spread from under his feet and began to spread in all directions until it covered the entire land. Then something grew out of the blackness. Several thin stick like object that grew up, bulged, then split into all kinds of flowers, roses, daisies, violets, all glowing in the light of the moon. Nel looked around in amazement, as did her brothers as they all went, "Oohh."

Dante turned and smiled. "In the ovum, you can make anything so long as you have the mental accuracy and picture. And this is just the beginning."

And the beginning it was. Over the course of a hour, he showed them several places, some in the human world, like the Grand Canyon at sunset, and some completely imaginary, like an alien planet unlike any even Dante had visited. Yet.

Connor had shown up when they had gotten to the human world in the ovum and had simply stood on the side lines, watching Dante work the ovum with incredible control. Nel and her brothers were all enjoying the sights and Dante was smiling as he work each scene with ease. He didn't get many chances to do this and he was having fun showing off. Especially since he had people that would genuinely enjoy the scenes.

After an hour though, he wiped his brow and said, "Okay guys, that's it for today I'm afraid."

"Aaww!" Nel and her brothers complained loudly.

"I'm sorry! But even I have limits when it comes to working the ovum and I've reached it. Connor."

He nodded and clapped his hands and the current view, which was Mount Rushmore, dissolved into blackness, then back into the cloak, which settled on to Connor's shoulders.

Dante sighed and asked, "So was that fun?"

"YES!" Nel cried. She tackled him in the waist with a hug and he sat down hard as she said, "Tank you for showing us."

Dante smiled. "You're welcome." And returned the hug.

She looked up and asked, "Will you come back tomorrow?"

Dante looked up and pretended to think. "Promise."

She smiled and gave him another hug before Dante said, "Okay, we have to go."

He gently pried her off him and handed her back to Pesche. He bowed his head and said, "Be careful Dante. Las Nochas is a place to tread lightly."

Dante walked next to Connor and replied, "True but we're not the ones that need to tread lightly."

Then Connor's cloak wrapped around them in a whirl of stars, spun like a twister, then collapsed in on itself, leaving no trace.

_Back in Las Nochas_

The cloak appeared in a tornado like it had disappeared before settling back on Connor's shoulders. Connor then took the cloak and stored it back into his tattoo.

"What now?" He asked.

Dante, who had been looking around, said, "Actually that's a good question. Who's room are we in?"

Connor looked around and saw what Dante meant. This wasn't this room, or any of the girls rooms as far as they could tell. The only thing that seemed out of place was the face that there were throw pillows everywhere. All over the floor and the bed, with no window.

"Let's see," Dante thought aloud. "Throw pillows all over the place, including the bed. Who would that… oh."

Connor looked at Dante who looked surprised.

"Oh what?"

"I know who's room we're in."

"And who would that be?" Connor asked in a irritated tone.

"Starrk's."

And with perfect timing, the door to the room opened and Coyote Starrk walked in, looking tired as always, but even he noticed that 2 people were in his room that were not supposed to be. He blinked and asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We're so sorry. We were using Connor's cloak to get back into Las Nochas, but it seems to have miss shot." Dante said bowing at the waist.

Starrk looked at Dante, then Connor. Despite his outlook, Starrk was actually very sharp when it came to reading people and he didn't see any signs of deceit from either of them. Then he rubbed his neck and said, "It's fine, but don't bow to me. I' no good with formal people like that."

Dante stood up. "Done." Then in a more curious tone asked, "I haven't seen you around Las Nochas. You spend most of your free time in your room?"

Starrk nodded. "Yeah, mostly, except that time when I had to see you both fight. Not too bad I guess."

Dante bowed his head for a second. "Thanks. Though to be honest, neither of us used our best abilities."

This caught Starrk's interest. "Really?"

Dante winked. "Always have a trump card. That is a must in battle."

Stark nodded. "True."

"We'll just get out of your way."

He and Connor walked out for the room, while Starrk thought, 'Dante Price. He seems to be a good guy.'

Dante and Connor then walked out of sight.

"Good guy, Starrk."

"How can you tell? He barely said anything?" Connor asked.

"Connor, I've traveled through time and space for 700 years, meeting any type of alien you care to name. I think I can read anybody."

"Fair point."

They got back to their room and opened the door to see the girls already there. Sung-Sun went to Dante while Appaci went to Connor. Dante gave Sung-Sun a hug and said, "Hey. Didn't think we'd see you so soon."

"I felt you arrive back. But you seemed to have met Starrk." Tier said, her arms crossed.

Connor rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, my cloak dropped us in the wrong place. Sorry about that."

Dante gave Sung-Sun a peck on the check and put his arm on her shoulder. "But I'm glad you girls are here. I had a request."

Tier rose her eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I was wondering if you would be willing to teach us to manipulate spiritual pressure to fly. We don't have that sort of ability and I think it might be a good thing to have."

They all blinked.

"I'm not sure that's possible," Appaci said. "Since your both still alive. But maybe…"

"We'll try tomorrow." Tier finished. "In the meantime, why don't you two take some free time off."

"Thanks Tier." Dante then gave Sung-Sun a kiss and said, "I got some work to take care of. I'll see you later?"

She nodded. "Sure."

He smiled. "You're the best."

Then he gave one last peck before going into the TARDIS.

"I have some time to kill. You have any ideas?" Connor asked Appaci.

"Want to go for a walk?" Appaci shurged.

"Why not?"

They both left the room, leaving Mila Rose and Tier to follow after them.

_1 hour later_

Dante was sitting in the work room that Appaci had interrupted him before to show them around Las Nochas, which had ended with him fighting Luppi. He was fiddling with his project and had almost finished it. He connected one last wire, then put the pieces together and breathed, "Finished."

The device in question was the size of an Ipad, but it was only a touch screen with no other visible buttons on it.

"Here goes nothing. Activate."

The screen flared white for a brief second before going to black. Dante waited a minute, the screen cleared to show an image of the throne room where Dante had debriefed Azien on the trip to Karakura town. But with one critical difference.

The view was sideways, and seemed to be from near the upper wall.

Dante smiled and tapped the screen a few times. A navigation pad seemed to pop up in the lower left hand Connor. Dante hit the right arrow and the view turned right until he released the button. Then he pushed forward, and the view moved down.

Dante's smiled widened. "Cybermite control pad, online."

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: Man this stories going a lot better than Rosario Vampire. And I do mean both my story and the actual manga. BTW if you readers are wondering about that I kinda got some bad news. I unfortunately have a writers block on that story and I'm currently stuck on what to do for the next part of the Witch Hill Arc. Also a reader requested I'd do a Dishonored/Rosario Vampire story. Well to the reader I say this: Maybe. Unfortuantely I have not played the game, but I could just watch an LP on YouTube and find a good ending playthrough. I may do it, but I'm still thinking on it. Anyway, yeah cybermites. I find it ironically funny that I'm putting a cyber creature in both stories but having the actual menace in R+V. Anyway see you readers next time and don't forget to favorite, like, share, and follow. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_The next day_

Dante and Connor were currently standing outside with tier and the girls. Tier had said that if they both wanted to know how to manipulate spirit energy, the sooner the better. And Dante knew she was right. The time table he had said he would be getting a very unique offer in a few hours' time.

"You're doing very well. I didn't expect you to get the hang of this so soon." Tier complimented.

Dante smirked. Currently he and Connor had been able to sense spirit energy, and right now they were manipulating it to float a foot off the ground. "Considering how long we've been alive and lived in soul society, I guess that makes it a little easier. Besides, this sort of reminds me of using my psiconic powers."

"And since I'm technically not alive, that helps as well." Connor added.

He and Dante then floated down as Dante wiped his brow. "But the concentration is the tricky part. It's like trying to walk on a frozen pond. Too much pressure in any one place and the whole thing collapses."

The girls in the meantime we're sparring a ways away, in a tournament style, with the next person fighting the winner, which seemed to work well. Dante looked over and said, "The girls seem to be getting along better."

Tier glanced over. "I think that's thanks to you two. They don't seem as easy to anger as they did before you got here."

Dante shrugged. "We try. What good is a team if they fight each other rather than the enemy?"

"True." Connor said.

Dante then asked, "Can you two stand back for a second? There's something I want to try."

"What is it?" asked Tier.

Dante smirked, "Spoilers."

Tier sighed but did as he asked. They walked back about 20 feet and Dante closed his eyes. He knew that to walk on air required him to make a platform below his feet, but while that was well and good, Dante wanted to try a little modification. This time, he wrapped the spirit energy around his upper torso. He opened his eyes and thought, 'Okay, let's try 10 %. 3…2…1.'

And he tried to lift himself off the ground.

Yeah. Didn't work out like he planned.

Instead of lifting smoothly off the ground like he wanted, he was yanked upwards at high speed like he had been launched from a sling shot. Dante went 50 feet into the air and the rapid ascent caused him to lose his concentration and go plummeting face first into the ground.

"Dante!" Tier cried. She and the others, who saw what happened, ran to him and were about to flip him over before he groaned and said, "Okay. Little too much force."

Then he pulled his head from the ground and spat sand out of his mouth, then scratched his tongue, trying to get the remains off.

Sung-Sun helped him to his feet and asked, "What were you doing?"

"Little experiment. I wanted to see if I could get myself to actually fly rather than just stand on a platform of spirit energy."

Sung-Sun sighed. "Don't do that again. You scared me."

Dante held up his hands. "Okay, promise."

Sung-Sun gave him a look that said she didn't believe him, but she let it drop.

"When are you guys going to train?" Mila Rose asked. "You're going to need to before we go to war."

Dante shrugged. "Don't know. We've got things to do, places to see."

"Then how about sparring with us?" Appaci suggested. "We need to see how you're hand to hand combat is."

Dante tapped his chin and thought for a minute before saying, "Why not? I've only fought a few people with super speed and I'm curious to see how I stack up now."

"Okay, then how about I spar you, and Mila Rose spars with Connor." Appaci said.

Mila Rose snorted. "Who put you in charge Appaci?"

Normally Appaci would've retorted, but now she simply said, "Nobody. But do you have any better ideas?"

Mila Rose was taken aback by the response, but she honestly didn't. So she simply said, "Fine."

Dante clapped his hands. "Okay, how about me and Appaci go first, then Connor and Mila Rose."

With that decided, the others went 30 feet away while Appaci and Dante got into a stance. Appaci quickly made the first move and used sonido to get behind Dante and punch at is head. Dante ducked forward and braced his hands against the ground, then kicked out at Appaci's chest, which she dodged. Then she grabbed his right left and whirled, throwing Dante spinning. Dante hit the ground on his back, but quickly jumped to his feet and charged. He tried a punch, but Appaci used sonido to dodge to the side and tried to punch him in the side of his head.

"Too slow." Then he punched her once, twice, 3 times in the ribs, but held back so as to not seriously hurt her. The he swept her feet out from under her and threw her over his shoulder onto the ground. She hurt the ground with a woof, but tried to punch Dante in the legs, but he simply leapt back. Appaci got to her feet and asked, "How can you keep up with me?"

Dante replied, "I may not look it, but I'm much faster then I look. For example…"

Dante then blurred and was suddenly right in front of Appaci. He tried to do a hay maker, but Appaci ducked underneath and jab him in the side, just beneath his ribs. He winced, but spun and kicked Appaci, which she blocked but went skidding back.

A ways away, Sung-Sun asked in awe, "How is he so fast?"

Connor leaned over and said, "You haven't seen it, but in the TARDIS is a room where he goes to train most days. You can modify the gravity in there and increase your strength and speed."

Tier overheard this and asked, "How high has Dante gone in there?"

"Recently? I think he went up to… 120 G's."

Tier's eyes went wide, as did the others. Dante had gone up to 120 G's? No wonder he was so fast.

Back at the battle, Dante said, "Okay, time to finish it."

Appaci wiped her mouth and said, "You may be fast, but you can't keep up with sonido for much longer."

Dante chuckled. "Oh, I'm afraid you're mistaken. It's you who can't keep up with me."

Then he blurred out of sight. Appaci blinked. "What the..?"

"Behind you."

Appaci whirled around, but didn't see anything. She whipped her head around trying to find Dante, but he was nowhere to be seen. Then she felt a hand tapped her and she turned her head to seen Dante say, "Long time no see."

She tried to jab, but he grabbed the blow and punched at Appaci's head to fast to dodge. He stopped a bare inch from her, but the shockwave sent her hair back like a high wind, taking her breath away.

Dante held the pose for a minute, then let go of her fist and said, "Good spar."

She swallowed. "Good spar."

Dante smiled. "Don't feel bad. You're really quite quick. Not many can hit me like you did."

She smiled slightly, then they walked to the group and Tier said, "Well, based on what I saw, you have a good mix of defense and offense, but you may need to work on your speed. And you're going to see to perfect you're spirit energy manipulation if you're to battle Shinigami in the air. Otherwise even you will be easy prey."

Dante bowed his head. "Understood. Thank you for your insight Tia."

Tier noticed how Dante had stopped calling her formal name and called her tia, but for some reason she didn't mind it when he did.

Then Dante clapped his hands and asked, "Okay, now Connor and Mila Rose need to fight. Shall we?"

Mila Rose and Connor both went the same distance from each other and the group and got in a stance.

Connor was the first to make a move, charging forward and jabbing at Mila Rose's chest. She blocked and tried to kick Connor's leg out from under him. He flipped over and grabbed her arm, which was still blocking his previous blow, and threw her over his shoulder, sending him flying backwards. Mila Rose quickly made a platform and regained her balance, then used sonido to get behind him and jab. Connor jerked his head to the right to dodge without looking, grabbed her arm, then hit her twice in the stomach with his elbow. Then he let go of the arm and spun, kicking her in the side and sending her skipping across the sand before she got her footing back and skidded backwards.

Mila Rose held her side and thought, 'He's too fast. Looks like I need to get more serious.'

She charged up several balas and then used sonido to get above, then started firing down at Connor, forcing him to run. Mila Rose fired one directly in front of Connor, sending up a plum of sand, and when he was distracted, used sonido to get behind him and jab kick him in the back, sending him tumbling forward, but not falling.

He turned back and said, "Clever move. Distraction and striking in blind spots."

Mila Rose replied, "And you're quick. Not to mention strong."

Connor chuckled and for some reason, the sound made shudders run up her spine.

"You haven't seen my true speed yet."

Suddenly Connor was right in front of Mila Rose. She flinched and tried to jab him out of instinct, but he dodged to the side and kneed her in the stomach, sending her breath out in a whoof, then kicked her legs out from under her and punched when she hit the ground. She quickly rolled to the side to dodge, then got to her feet and used sonido to get some distance. When they were 40 feet apart, she tried to think of how he had gotten so close so fast.

"You can't run from me Mila Rose!" Connor called. She narrowed her eyes and got in a defensive stance. And it was a good thing she did. The next thing Mila-rose saw was Connor running towards her at such high speed, he was actually blurred. Connor ran straight at her and she tried to jab, but Connor swerved to the side and started running around her, raising a tornado of sand that stung her eyes. She closed them and coughed as she accidently inhaled, and the next thing she knew, Connor had her in a head lock, tight enough so she couldn't escape, but loose enough so she could breath.

"Yield." Connor said in a tone of unbending steel.

Mila Rose tried to think of a way out of this, but unable to find any practical way, she said, "I yield."

Connor released her neck and she slowly straightened, then they walked back to the group. Tier and the girls looked surprised, but Dante said, "Not bad. But you seem to be slowing down a bit."

"Maybe," Connor replied. "But not even you can keep yourself in shape all the time."

Dante just whistled and looked away.

Tier interrupted before Connor could retort. "So, based on what I saw, you're weaker then Dante, but you make up for that by having some decent speed. You seem to be able to think on your feet, but have plans laid out ahead of time if things go wrong. And you can use the environment to your advantage. Overall, well balanced."

"Thanks. Being a thousand years old and having fought gods generally teaches you to use every trick you have to win."

Tier nodded. "Well, it certainly works. Well done both of you."

Dante smiled and said, "Thanks, we…" then he cut himself off and furrowed his brow.

Sung-Sun noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

Dante felt the back of his neck tingling and he had long since learned that meant danger was nearby. But where was…?

Then his eyes widened as he heard a whistling from above and shouted, "MOVE!"

Tier looked up and narrowed her eyes, then grabbed Appaci and Mila Rose, who were closest to her, and used sonido, pulling them with. Connor grabbed Sung-Sun by the arm and pulled her with as he used his speed to put some distance between them and Dante. And Dante pushed backwards just as something hit the ground and sent up a column of sand into the air, hiding whatever had hit the ground. Then the sand drifted down and unveiled the person who had attacked them.

"Nntoria." Dante growled as he got back to his feet. "What do you want?"

Nntoria stood up and placed his scythe on his shoulder as he said with that wild smirk on his face, "What does it look like? Azien said we couldn't kill or maim you, but he also said we could fight you at any time. Well, I want to fight now."

Tier sonido'ed in front of Dante and said, "You will not fight him now Nntoria. He's in no condition or under any obligation to accept."

"It wasn't a request. It was an order." Nntoria sneered.

Tier felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Dante, who said, "It's fine Tia. This won't take long."

She hesitated for a brief second, then closed her eyes and said, "Very well."

"But take this with you, would you?"

She heard a zipping sound and opened her eyes to see him giving her his hoodie, leaving him in a plain black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off.

"I don't want this ruined and what I'm about to use might do that."

She was curious to what Dante would be using, but took the hoodie and then used sonido to go back to the group, who were watching tensely from afar.

Nntoria's smile widened. "So, you're a real man then. This will be good," And got his scythe ready. With Dante being unarmed, he was confident that this time, he would come out on top where he belonged.

Dante looked coldly at Nntoria and said, "This will be quick. And to the point."

Then he bought up the Ultramatrix and pressed the button, the started twisting the dial.

"Checking the time? How about you quit wasting mine?" Nntoria said smugly.

Dante finally found the picture he wanted, which was lightning bolts extending from a small human outline, and said, "With pleasure."

He slammed the dial down and the flash of red light accompanied it, but when it cleared, Dante didn't look any different. The girls saw this and assumed that Dante must be using some power thy couldn't see. Yet.

Nntoria on the other hand snorted and said, "I thought you were going to fight. Not show off stupid tricks."

"I am fighting. I just needed to get this ready." Dante said.

He crossed his arms. Red light began to flicker across his skin like little bolts of electricity, but as he brought his arms to his sides, the light grew brighter and the sparks bigger until his arms were clad in red lightning, fizzing and crackling across the skin from his hands to his shoulders, and the light giving his face an evil glow.

He smirked as he saw Nntoria's dumbfounded face and said, "Now I'm ready."

He snapped his right arm out and pointed the palm at Nntoria, then fired a bolt of the lightning which connected with Nntoria and caused him to wince as the lightning hit him. Then he snarled, "You can't win like last time! I'm the strongest!"

Then he used sonido to get in front of Dante and slash, but Dante pushed back and fired more bolts at Nntoria, but he saws they were too small to do any real damage. He was just shaking them off.

"Let's try an air approach."

Dante concentrated his lightning into his palms, causing them to glow white and emit ripples of heat waves, then he jumped upwards, rising higher then possible with his strength alone, then stopped, hovering in midair from the electrical current in his hands. Nntoria noticed this and called, "So, you learned some new tricks. Big deal."

Dante smirked. "No. These are old tricks."

Then he pointed his palm out into the distance and fired off what looked like a ball of electricity, but it spiraled through the air and seemed to do just that. Dante fired off several more, each heading the same direction. Nntoria watched and thought, 'Idiot. Can't even fire off projectiles right.'

Then he turned in time for Dante to fire a small bolt of lightning and hit his chest, but this one didn't even work. He looked up at Dante and called "You're an idiot Dante. You don't even have the guts to fight me one on one."

"Before you say that, look behind you." Dante said with a smug grin.

Nntoria thought, 'What in the...?'

Then he looked and his eyes widened. The balls that Dante had fired had changed direction and were now homing in on him at high speed! He used sonido to dodge the first one and it hit the ground, exploding in an explosion of electricity and sand. But he was too distracted and was hit with another one and shouted in pain as it hit. These were far more potent than the lightning bolts had been and they hit, one two, then 3 and 4 had hit him, one after another.

Dante turned off what he called his static thrusters and fell the 40 feet to the ground, but rolled on impact and managed to stop any damage. He waited for the sand to cleared and was shown what Nntoria had been reduced to. He was panting heavily as his skin pooped with sparks and his clothes were singed and in places burned off. His back was now a mess of red and black, with the electricity having first burned then cauterized his flesh.

Nntoria snarled and shouted in his head, 'NO! THAT HUMAN WILL NOT MAKE ME A FOOL AGAIN! I'M THE STRONGEST THERE IS!'

He stuck out his tongue and a golden light began to charge in front of it, and Dante knew in an instant it was a cero!

Dante quickly ran through the abilities he had in this form, then it struck him on which one to use. He quickly made 2 grenades and threw them. Nntoria prepared to dodge them when the grenades split in midair, becoming 10 miniature grenades that scattered around him, and then exploded one after another. While the blasts didn't hurt him, they distracted him and caused his cero to fail and fade.

He growled and flared his spirit energy to clear the sand in a blast of wind, then he saw Dante. He was still standing where he was before, but now his arms were reaching above him and Dante called, "Last chance Nntoria. If you want to stop now, I'd understand!"

Nntoria shouted, "DON'T YOU DARE MOCK ME YOU WORM! YOU CAN'T BEAT ME!"

Dante sighed and muttered "Why can they never listen to reason?" Then he locked eyes with Nntoria and said, "Then enjoy this."

That's when Nntoria noticed something. Dante's lightning was crackling and rising skyward in a steady stream. And when he looked up, he was that there a ball of it the size of a house above him. His eye widened as Dante said "Ionic lightning!"

Then he snapped his arms to his side and sent the blast of electricity down onto Nntoria like a strike from the heavens. It moved to fast for him to dodge and collided with his scythe, which was now being used as a lightning rod. Nntoria shouted in pain as the massive power surged through him, charring him in the process, then just as suddenly as it started, it stopped, leaving Nntoria smoking and blackened, swaying like a drunk before kneeling over and falling face first onto the ground.

Dante panted slightly as the lightning from his arms faded and stopped as his powers were sealed again. Then he got his breath back and said, "You'll never learn Nntoria. And that's why you lose."

Then he turned and walked away.

With tier and the girls, during the fight

Tier and the girls watched as Dante ad Nntoria traded the first few blows, Dante firing the bolts, then flying. Sung-Sun asked, "What is that?"

Connor was watching with his arms crossed and said, "Those would the powers that Dante got from yet another friend, who was called the demon of empire city. He had some powers over electricity and used them to make grenades, rockets, and yes, lightning bolts."

They watched as Dante demonstrated these abilities, but how Nntoria refused to go down. Then they saw how Dante threw the grenades to distract him, charge up the ionic strike in the brief seconds he had, then offer Nntoria for him to run and when he predictable denied, and then how he used a lightning strike to completely fry him. When he had said something to Nntoria's unconscious form, he then walked to them and said "Well, hope he enjoys being well done."

Sung-Sun rushed forward and hugged him. "Never do that again."

Dante hugged her back. "Sorry, can't promise that. I've fought several things far more powerful then him, and will keep doing that."

He let go of her and said, "Well, Nntoria will probably be waking up soon, so we should go before he does."

They started walking away as Dante said, "Oh, tia can I have my hoodie back?"

She had forgotten she was holding it and she handed it back to him as he said "Thank you. Now I need to get back to the TARDIS."

"Why?" Tier asked.

"You may not know it, but ever since showed you around inside the TARDIS, I've had a program running to determine what needed repairs yet, and I know for a fact it's not much, but I needed to know what did need it. The program should be done by now, and then I can repair the TARDIS."

"What then?" Sung-Sun

Though she didn't let it show, fear was starting to eat at her. If Dante's TARDIS was fixed, then he would be able to get his revenge and alter soul societies time line. And if he did that, then… she would've never had met him.

Dante looked surprised as he asked, "What do you mean?"

Sung-Sun said, "Well, then you could get your revenge on soul society and we…" she couldn't bring herself to finish.

Dante pulled her in and gave her a kiss that took her breath away, then said, "And make it so I never met you? Not a chance. Not in all of time and space."

Sung-Sun smiled and hugged him and he hugged her back.

The group was watching them, all of them with smiles on their faces. Mila Rose and Appaci were truly happy for Sung-Sun, and Tier was smiling as well, but she felt a certain tightness in her chest for some reason as she looked at the two of them.

Then he let go and said, "Okay, let's go ten. We need to see what needs to be repaired."

They walked back to the TARDIS then, but Dante looked at his watch and thought, 'Only a hour left. Then everything changes.'

**A/N from Jason grace son of zues: Hello everyone! I know I haven't introduced myself, but I'm this guys friend whos helping him write this story. My job is mainly fight scenes and helping him come up with plot, so I hope I've done a decent job. I've written a few stories of my own as well, so feel free to look at those. But a warning, the more recent one is on hold while I'm helping to write this. In any case, hope you enjoy this!**

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: I apologize for not introducing him sooner but we've been on a roll I just got sidetracked. And those of my readers who've been reading the season 1 arc oF may Rosario Vampire story, don't worry my co writer freakypanda12345 and I aha be the next installment almost finished. See and next time.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Done!" Dante exclaimed as he twisted the last wire into place.

It was about an hour later and Dante was wearing his "repair work" uniform to make the final repairs on the TARDIS. The girls had been looking around the library with Connor while Dante did the final work. And now that it was 'done', the TARDIS was now freed up to travel through time again. Not that he planned to use it. Yet.

Dante hauled the panel back into place and wiped his brow. He took another looked at the Ultramatrix and knew Azien would be calling a meeting in a moment.

And right on time, Dante heard Azien's voice rumble from the outside of the TARDIS.

"Hello my dear Espada. Please report to the throne room at once, as well as Dante Price. We have matters to discuss."

Dante snorted. He knew what matters Azien wanted to discuss and he wasn't looking forward to it. Dante quickly took off the apron and gloves, then set his goggles on top. He looked presentable, but he made a quick stop at the wardrobe to grab a new shirt. This one was a short sleeve t-shirt showing the words AC/DC in large silver lettering.

Feeling satisfied with his choice, he jogged to the library and managed to locate the group sitting quietly at a table reading various books. He cleared his throat and when he had their attention, he said, "Azien's called a meeting. Said that we have some matters to discuss."

"Are we invited?" Connor asked while closing his book and setting it on a small pile besides him.

Dante shook his head. " Just me."

Connor's eyes flashed, but he simply said, "Better get going then. You don't want to keep him waiting."

Tier stood up. "Would you mind putting these away for me?" She asked Connor.

Connor waved his hand. "It's fine, now get going!"

Dante quickly lead the way out of the TARDIS, then he and tier quickly ran to the throne room. Well, Dante ran, Tier simply used sonido. When they arrived, Dante opened the doors and saw that everyone had arrived, except Nntoria, his spot empty. Dante smirked when he noticed this. Seemed he had dealt a good blow if Nntoria couldn't attend. But then Dante also noticed that grimmjow seemed to be missing as well.

Then his musings were cut short as Azien said, "Ah, how nice of you to join us. Dante, Tier, please come closer."

Tier went to her normal spot while Dante stood before the thrown. Two people that he hadn't met yet were standing on either side of it. One was a man with silver hair cut in a bowl cut, closed eyes, and a wide smile on his face. He reminded Dante of a snake, or maybe a fox. He wore white robes that hide his arms and a short, dagger like sword in a sheath on his hip. The other man was African American, with long, braided hair that went down to his shoulder blades, and he had a white visor like object over his eyes. he wore robes that left his arms bare, and he had a longer sword on his hip, with some sort of circle connected to the guard.

"I don't believe you've been introduced. This is Gin Ichimaru…" Aizen indicated the snake face man to his right, "…and Kaname Tosen." He indicated the African American to his left.

Gin waved and said in a cheerful voice, "What's up? Been meaning to talk to you. You're an interesting guy."

"I try. It's nice to meet you… can I just call you Gin?" Dante asked.

"Sure."

Dante knew Gin's back story, and why he was doing what he did, but then Tosen spoke. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dante Price. I'm very glad to have someone like you and Connor join our cause."

Dante bowed his head. "The pleasure is mine."

"Now," Aizen spoke. "the reason I called this meeting is to address two things."

Dante interrupted by asking, "I'm sorry, but where's Grimmjow? Shouldn't we wait for him?"

Azien didn't show any annoyance at the interruption and continued. "Actually, he's one of the reasons this meeting was called. You see, Grimmjow decided to act against my orders and took his entire fraccion with him to Karakura town to try and eliminate Ichigo Kurosaki and the Shinigami that soul society had sent for reinforcements."

Dante narrowed his eyes "Idiot." He hissed.

"Indeed." Azien said in a light tone. "His fraccion was wiped out, and Grimmjow had been stripped of his rank as the 6th Espada."

Dante, acting confused, asked, "But then why am I here? I don't see the relevance that I would be required to be here."

Azien's smile widened. "For 1 reason. Recently you defeated Nntoria."

Dante pretended to look surprised as Azien continued. "Your battle with him did not go unnoticed Dante, everyone saw when you struck him down, and with electrical powers no less."

Dante shrugged. "He wanted to fight, so I gave him a fight."

Baraggan snarled quietly. He had been furious when he saw Dante strike down Nntoria with what looked like minimal effort. His fraccion had been terrified to go near him since then.

"I didn't call you here to punish you for your actions." Aizen said. "Nntoria initiated the fight, so you were well within your rights to defend yourself. No, I called you here to make you an offer."

'Here it comes.' Dante thought.

"I know that you aren't an Arrancar, or even a hollow, but would you be willing, Dante Price, to become the 6th Espada?"

To say people were shocked would be an understatement. Dante could taste the shock and could hear everyone's breathing with ease.

Then Baraggan decided to break the silence. Violently.

"Azien! You go too far!" Baraggan shouted. "It was bad enough that you let this shrimp and his vampire friend into our ranks, but now you offer him the position of Espada?! It's outrageous, I won't allow it…!"

"Oh but you will." Azien said in a cool tone. "I've decided that Dante has the potential to become an Espada, and the only person who had any say in it now is Dante himself."

Baraggan snarled in anger, but Azien released his spirit pressure on Baraggan just enough for him to feel heavy as Azien said, "Now return to your place Baraggan."

Baraggan did so grudgingly and Dante had to smirk at seeing Baraggan put down. Then he heard the door boom open and a familiar voice shout, "Azien, you can't be serious!"

Dante turned around and saw the only person that could make this worse. Luppi.

"Ah, Luppi, so glad to see you decided to join us."

"If I knew what you were planning to do I would have been here sooner!" Luppi replied. "How can you offer the position of 6th Espada to this human?!"

Azien smiled in his own odd way and said "I believe Dante's powers and experience put him far above a human, even more so considering he recently defeated Nntoria. I've decided that he has the potential to become an Espada."

"But I'm next in line for the 6th!" Luppi shouted. "And I'm not letting him take it from me!"

"Indeed, you were next in line for the 6th." Azien corrected. "But I believe that you recently fought Dante, and he walked away victorious."

"He was a coward!" Luppi shouted. "He just used tricks to knock me out and run away!"

Gin smiled widely. "That's not what I saw on the monitors. It seems to me you attacked Dante and his teammates, then when you took them hostage, he simply defeated you, using some form of powers to do so. If he wanted to kill you, he could have when he rendered you unconscious."

Dante was simply standing to the side with his arms crossed, letting Luppi try to argue he didn't deserve the position. Not that he planned to take it, he was just enjoying the show.

"Let me fight him again!" Luppi shouted. "I'll crush him this time!"

"I very much doubt that." Szayel stated. "The most recent powers Dante has shown are electrical based, and powerful enough to defeat Nntoria. You would stand no chance."

Luppi looked furious. Everyone was talking about this guy like he was unbeatable. She wanted to put him in his place.

Tier was watching the proceedings with a small hint of pride in her. She was proud that Dante had been offered the position, a position she thought he rightly deserved. She did think it was a bit of an insult to offer him 6th Espada when he had defeated Nntoria, who was 5th, but Grimmjow's demotion had made his opening the only one.

Dante was still enjoying the show, but he figured it was time to wrap this up.

"Hold up a minute!"

Everyone looked at him as he walked back to the center and continued. "This is pointless, since I've already decided I don't want the position. If it means so much to him, just give it to Luppi so he'll shut up."

Now everyone was looking at Dante with a mixture of shock, disbelief, or surprise. Most a combination of the three. Being an Espada was a great honor, and one that many would happily kill for to receive.

Azien was interested by Dante's actions and asked, "Are you sure Dante?"

Dante shrugged and said "I don't need a title to do what I do. Beside, I'm happy serving under Tier."

Tier found she was honestly touched. Dante was turning down on of the largest honors in los nochas simply because he was content serving under her. This was an act of humanity, which they had all lost long ago.

Tosen turned his head to Dante and asked, "Are you sure you don't want the rank Dante?"

Dante nodded. "Like I said, I'm satisfied serving under Tier. And being an Espada sounds like I would be getting more battles, which I could do without."

Tosen contemplated Dante's words. He didn't know much beside what others told him, but he could tell Dante was a pure soul, helping those in need while fighting only when he had no other choice. Tosen found himself rather liking the boy. He felt like Dante understood what he had gone through, and was a kindred spirit. He had a feeling they would be good friends.

"So he finally shows his true colors!" Luppi shouted as he pointed at Dante. "You're a coward that doesn't want to admit I can beat you!"

Dante didn't even look at him as he said, "I beat you before Luppi. I can easily do it again."

"You ran away before we could finish our fight!" Luppi shouted.

Dante looked at Luppi with cold hard eyes. "You were knocked out and rendered completely defenseless. I could have easily killed you.

"But you didn't. And that proves you're a coward!"

"Enough." Azien interrupted. "I'm sorry Dante, but it appears Luppi won't take no for an answer. You'll have to fight."

"Thank you Master Azien." Luppi said with a hasty bow of respect. "I'll put this human in his place."

"You sound like a broken record." Dante yawned.

Azien actually chuckled at this as he said, "Very well. You may begin when ready."

"I'm ready now!" Luppi shouted. "Strangle Trepadora!"

As Luppi underwent his transformation, Dante leapt back 20 feet, then quickly activated the Ultramatrix and selected his psiconic powers. He activated them as the smoke cleared to show Luppi in his released state.

"You're going down this time human!" Luppi snarled.

"Suuuurrrree." Dante said sarcastically. "But let's make this interesting shall we?" he then crossed his arms. "Since I'm feeling generous, for exactly…" he looked at the Ultramatrix. "…one minute, I won't use my arms in any way, shape, or form. Starting now."

Luppi shot his tentacles at Dante, who used enhance to improve his reflexes and speed. As the first approached, Dante leapt onto it and used it as a spring board to flip over the next one. He ran along the next one and kept dodging the others that tried to hit him, all with his arms crossed. When he got past then, he crouched and pushed off the tentacle he was on, flying straight towards Luppi. Luppi quickly crossed his arms in front of him to block as Dante kicked Luppi, sending him skidding back. Dante didn't let up and charged, delivering kick after kick, never uncrossing his arms. Then things turned.

Luppi brought his tentacles back in and wrapped them around Dante, effectively catching him in a tight grip.

Luppi grinned. "Game over human."

Then they heard a beeping, like an alarm coming from Dante and he smirked.

"Sorry, but I had an extra 1-up."

Dante started pressing with all of his considerable strength against Luppi's tentacles, which began to move away from him, despite Luppi's best attempt to keep them closed, and when he had room, leaped out and put distance between them again.

Luppi snarled and brought out his spikes. Then with a shout he sent them hurtling towards Dante. He quickly brought up both hands and held them palm out from him, but nothing happened. Luppi's tentacles were about to hit him!

Until they suddenly crumpled like they had collided with something solid, but nothing was there.

Luppi shocked stuttered, "What the…?"

Dante smirked at his look. "I have a good deal of powers in this form. While I use these powers, I'm able to compress the air to unparalleled density, harder than steel. It's a type of zone PSI that I like to call air blocks."

Dante made a shoving motion and the tentacles seemed to be pushed back, heading straight towards Luppi. He quickly used sonido to get out of the way as the wall collided with the one behind Luppi, making a perfect imprint in it.

Dante ducked forward as Luppi appeared behind him and tried to club him in the head. Then he pushed off with his hands, spun in midair, and kicked at Luppi, sending a shockwave of air at him. It dead on and sent Luppi crashing into the wall. Dante landed in a crouch and groaned when Luppi dug himself out of the wall.

'Does this guy ever give up?'

Luppi shook of the dust and looked at Dante with pure hate.

"You can't win human!"

"Guess not with these powers." He then stood up. "But you know what? I'm in the mood for some grilled fish."

Dante held his hands out to his side and the air started to grow hotter and sparks started to dance in the air around Dante, then they grew into flames that swirled through the air with no source of fuel, then they all rushed to Dante, then exploded in size, growing and growing into ball easily 3 times as large as Luppi's released state. Then the flames seemed to open eyes, which were slanted like a cats and glowing pure white, and roar, sounding like an explosion. It quickly grew stumpy legs and hands, all made of fire, with Dante in the middle of it, not looking the least bit harmed. He didn't even look uncomfortable from the heat.

He smirked at Luppi's dumbfounded face. "Say hello to Pyro king, salamander."

The beast sucked in a giant gust of air, then blew out an inferno at Luppi, too fast to dodge. Now normally his Hierro would block most of the damage from regular flames, but these flames weren't normal. They were too hot for him to handle and he cried out in pain as he felt his skin blister and blacken. Then just as quickly as it started, it stopped, leaving Luppi staggering and barely standing while his clothes were burned, and his tentacles fried before going back into his sealed state.

Dante let the flames disperse and fell to the ground, where he landed easily. Luppi looked at him with raw hatred, but Dante simply threw him the bird before saying, "You lost, deal with it."

They heard a light clapping and turned to see Azien looking impressed at Dante. "Well done Dante. Though that was a rather flashy way of finishing it."

Dante bowed like he was on stage. "I always had a weakness for dramatics."

"Still, you've earned your right to the position of 6th Espada. Are you sure you don' want it?"

Dante shook his head. "I get it's a great honor, but it just doesn't appeal to me. Give it to Luppi since it seems so damn important to him."

And that was how the meeting ended. They had discussed a few minor things before the meeting was dismissed. While Luppi had the position of 6th Espada, something he was quick to point out to everyone, and rubbing it in Grimjow's face, they all pointed out it was only because Dante let him become the 6th Espada. It was the only way Grimjow could get Luppi to shut up about it. Personally he wished Dante had taken the position. At least he wouldn't have annoyed him to death about losing his rank.

Meanwhile Dante had told the girls what had happened and they had all been dumbfounded when they found out Dante had been offered to the position of Espada. And he had turned it down!

"You idiot, why?! That's the best offer in Las Noches!" Appaci shouted in the TARDIS control room.

Dante was leaning against the railing with his arm around Sung-Sun. "And having to leave you guys? Not a chance! Plus power doesn't appeal to me."

Connor put his hand on Appaci's shoulder. "Leave it. It's his choice and he made it. There's no changing it now."

Dante looked at the time. "Connor, we got a meeting to get to."

"Who are you going to meet?" Tier asked.

Dante looking shocked (and feeling a bit stupid) said, "Oh man, I forgot to tell you guys! Connor and I met somebody when we were going for that run outside Las Noches. We found 3 Arrancar."

They were shocked to say the least. "Outside Las Noches? That makes no sense!" Mila Rose exclaimed.

Dante shrugged. "I know, but there you have it. One is a little girl called Nel and her brothers Pesche and Dondochakka."

Tier blinked at the odd names, but asked, "Are they any threat?"

Dante looked at her like she was nuts. "Not in the slightest. Nel acts like a child and her brothers act like goof balls. I told them Connor and I would meet them again today."

Tier looked at both of them, but she didn't see any signs they were lying and said, "Hhmm. Fine. But be back here in at least an hour, if not sooner."

"Done. So get out."

They all blinked. "What?"

"Since the TARDIS is fixed now, I thought that we might arrive in that. Something new to show them."

Tier feeling uneasy asked, "Can they tamper with the controls of the TARDIS at all? Based on what you said, if this Nel does act like a child, she will touch something."

Dante chuckled. "No problem. These controls are isomorphic, meaning that only me and my dad were able to use them and they would respond. Or rather, it would respond with what we wanted to do. If someone else tried, well, they would get a surprise."

Tier remembered Connor's warning that everything on the panels could kill her if she didn't know what she was doing, but she said, "Very well. Girls."

As they walked out, Tier stopped, and turned, then she said on a spur of the moment, "Dante."

He looked up from the controls and she kept going.

"If you want, I give you permission to bring Nel and her brothers into Las Noches."

Dante looked surprised, but he said, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

The girls stepped out of the TARDIS and watched as it started to fade in and out, then vanish into nothing.

_Outside Las Noches_

Nel and her brothers were watching Las Noches. Or rather, Nel was sitting on a dune watching it, while a small distance away her brothers were talking in hushed tones to each other.

"But it doesn't make any sense. Why would Dante care about us like he does?" Pesche said in a hushed tone.

**(A/N: We'll just call Dondochakka Don now)**

"I don't know." Don replied. "But a bigger question is how he managed to convince Azien to let him and Connor into his army. And what his motivations are."

Pesche looked over to see Nel and said, "But he seems like he means well. Nel certainly likes him."

Don nodded. "That's true. But it looks like he might not show."

Pesche nodded and went over to Nel. Then he knelt and said gently, "Come on Nel, he's not showing."

"He said he would show." She said stubbornly. "He said he would play with me."

"Nel, he…"

**_VWOOORP VWOOOORP VROOOOORP_**

They all jumped as they heard that sound and looked in front of them to see the TARDIS started materializing in front of them.

**_VWOOORP VWOOOORP VROOOOORP_**

The TARDIS materialized completely and then the door opened to show…

"Hello!" Dante then stepped out. "Sorry for taking so long, but…"

He never got to finish as Nel tackled him around the waist and cried, "YOU CAME! YOU CAME!"

Dante coughed, amazed his didn't cough out his spleen, then said, "Of course I came. I promised, didn't I?"

He then stood up. "Sorry for taking so long tough, had things to take care of."

"Like what?" Pescheasked.

"Weelll, being offered the position of 6th Espada for one." Dante said scratching his head.

"WHAT!?" they all shouted at once.

Dante shrugged. "I turned it down."

"WHAT!?" they all shouted again.

"THAT'S THE BIGGEST OFFER IN LAS NOCHES!" Nel shouted.

"I'm not interested in personal power." Dante shrugged. "Besides, I'm not entirely happy on why he offered the position in the first place."

"Why?" Don asked.

He then gave them a meaningful look and said, "Because I defeated Nntoria."

They all froze as Pesche said, "You… defeated Nntoria?"

"The 5th Espada?" Dom said, in a unusually serious voice.

Dante nodded, then clapped his hands and said, "But, let's not dwell on that shall we? I have something I want to show you."

And for the next hour, he showed them around the TARDIS, which they were predictably awe struck at, but Nel was delighted when he showed them around. He showed them the library, which they spent a good amount of time in, then he showed them the kitchen and gave Nel a few sweets, which she wolfed down, then he showed them a special invention. A window that he and The Doctor had created that let them see anywhere in space and time, which was currently showing earth during the time of the dinosaurs.

Pesche tapped Dante on the shoulder at this point and asked, "Dante, can we talk to you?"

"Sure." He left Nel with Connor at the window while Pesche and Don walked a fair distance away.

"What's up?" Dante asked.

Pesche and Don looked at each other, nodded, then looked at Dante.

"Dante, it's clear that you're a good guy, and that Nel's found of you." Pesche said.

"Yes…" Dante said in a confused tone.

"And you said that you got permission to take us into Las Noches?"

"Yes."

Don sighed. "We only want you to take Nel with you."

Dante sighed, "It's because of Nntoria isn't it? What he did to her?"

They both looked at Dante shocked as he said, " Time traveler, remember? I know what happened to her, and to the two of you. But don't worry. I won't tell her. And I'll make sure she's safe. But in exchange, I want you to do me a favor."

The both looked at each other, then back at Dante suspiciously. "What?"

Dante put a hand in his hoodie and pulled out a small object the size of an orange, but it was glass, and filled with circuitry.

"Some time in the near future, you'll be meeting a boy, a boy with orange hair. He'll be against Azien and trying to get back his friend. I want you to give this to him when you meet him."

Pesche slowly took it and asked, "What is it?"

Dante smiled. "A hologram ball. It will give him a message, information he'll need to know if he wants to combat Azien when he arrives."

Dante looking at Nel said, "And I promise you, on my life, I will keep Nel safe."

Pesche and Don looked at each, then back at Dante and nodded and said "Very well. We'll trust you."

Dante smiled. "That's all that I ask."

And that's how it went. When it was time for Dante to take them to the TARDIS, Nel found out only she would be going. When she questioned her brothers why they were leaving her, they simply said they had to, for now, but they would see her again. When Nel cried a little as they hugged, Dante managed to cheer her up before launching the TARDIS back into Las Noches.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The girls were all sitting in their various rooms, currently bored. There was no training, meeting, and Dante and Connor had gone, so they had nothing to do. Then they all heard the faint sound of **_VROOOP_**, and all of them sensed Dante's and Connor's spirit energy again, along with one that as far as they could tell was Nel. They all quickly used sonido, curious to see what she looked like.

_With Dante, general P.O.V_

"Okay, we're back in Las Noches." Dante said pulling one last lever. He then paused and looked at the screen closely and grinned. "And it looks like the girls are already here."

Sure enough, they heard the knock at the TARDIS door, which Dante went to and opened to see the girls crowded around it.

Dante smirked. "Miss us?"

Sung-Sun smirked as well, then gave him a kiss. "Always."

Nel was watching Dante with a look of jealously on her face, which Connor noticed and smirked at. Dante had an uphill battle coming his way. Oh, the fun he would have.

Then Dante stepped aside and let the girls in, where they immediately spotted Nel. Appaci approached her and crouched down, and looked at her. "So there really was an Arrancar outside Las Noches. She looks like a kid."

"Wonderful powers of observation Appaci. Dante told us she looked like a child." Mila Rose snorted.

"I KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED TO TELL ME THAT MILA ROSE!" Appaci shouted at her as she stood and turned towards her.

Dante quickly got between them. "Okay, let's not shout in front of our guest, shall we?"

Tier was watching as Dante tried to calm down the girls, and she couldn't help but smile as he tried. But as she looked at him, then Sung-Sun, she felt her chest feel tighten again, but she couldn't put a name on what was doing it. It was some emotion that she hadn't felt in a long time. Then it hit her. The name of what she was feeling.

Jealousy.

She felt jealous of Sung-Sun and Dante, and what they had.

But she was snapped from her thoughts as Dante said, "So, if it's alright, I thought I'd show Nel around Las Noches."

Tier then noticed something.

"Didn't you say that Nel had some brothers? Where are they?"

Nel's face fell and you could see the gloom around her like a dark fog. Dante rubbed the top of her head to try and cheer her up as he explained.

"They choose to stay out in the dessert for some reason. They only wanted me to take Nel."

The girls looked shocked that anyone would want to stay in the dessert when they had been offered to come her, and Sung-Sun was about to say so before Dante rose his hand and said, "I know, they seem crazy for not accepting, but I'm sure they had their reasons. Now, is it okay if I show Nel around?"

Tier thought for a moment, then waved her hand and said, "Very well, but keep out of trouble."

Dante opened his mouth, closed it tightly and held up a finger. "I'll…try."

Tier didn't press him. In the short time she had known Dante, he may not go looking for trouble, but it sure as hell had a price on his head.

Dante walked with Nel for a while, having her walked beside him, or riding on his shoulders. Then Dante walked around a corner and walked into somebody.

"Sorry, I wasn't…Starrk!"

Sure enough, Starrk was standing there.

"What are you doing here?"

Starrk rubbed the back of his head. "Lilynette insisted I get off my back and take a walk."

"Lilynette is here?"

"Yeah. She should be…"

Then Starrk was kicked forward and a little girl's voice shouted, "Starrk you idiot, don't run from me like that. You're not tricking me into leaving me alone!"

As Starrk picked himself up off the ground, Dante looked around the corner to see a small girl standing there. Her uniform was… unique. Her outfit consisted of white-colored briefs with a black line positioned in the middle, arm-warmers, a revealing vest with a high collar and thigh-high, fur-lined boots. Her Hollow hole was positioned in the center of her stomach. The remainder of her Hollow mask was in the form of a helmet, with two horns on the top of her head. The left horn looking as if it has been cut off and the left half of the mask was covering her left eye. Her right eye was light pink, with the left eye covered by her hollow mask and a flame design over the eyehole and she also had light green hair arranged in a very basic manner.

She noticed Dante looking at her and crossed her arms, looking him up and down.

"So, you're the new recruit. Starrk's told me about you."

Dante noticed Nel hiding behind him, but didn't bring her out. He then replied, "And you must be Lilynette. I've heard… yeah. I've heard of you."

Lilynette noticed how Dante said that and she narrowed her eye. "Like what?"

Dante quickly scrambled for something to say and his eyes happened to land on Starrk, and bingo! Excuse on the spot.

"Like how you keep torturing Starrk."

Starrk rubbed his head again and said, "Yeah, she keeps waking me up when I'm trying to sleep."

Lilynette then kicked Starrk in the shin, causing him to yelp and grab it. "You need to get off your butt and do something helpful once in a while!"

Dante just chuckled at their antics. "Well, I have to go, I was just showing Nel around."

Stark and Lilynette stopped when Dante said this and asked, "Who's Nel?"

Dante looked behind him at Nel. "Come on, say hello. They won't bite."

Nel shyly walked out from behind Dante while Lilynette and Starrk stared at her.

"Hello." Nel said in a quite tone.

Starrk knelt down and asked, "Where did you find her Dante?"

"Connor and I found her and her brothers out in the dessert, not too far from here. Tier said we could bring them in, but for some reason her brothers chose to stay in the dessert."

"I wonder why." Lilynette pondered.

Starrk was staring at Nel intently, and thinking, 'Nel. Nel. Why does that ring a bell?'

Nel squirmed under Starrk's gaze which Dante took notice of.

"Starrk, stop it, you're scaring her."

Starrk blinked and stood up. "Sorry, it's just… some thought I had."

Lilynette was looking at Nel as well, but for a different reason then Starrk, hers being the fact that she had never seen another child Arrancar besides herself. It was weird that Dante had found this one in the dessert.

"Well, we'll see you later. I want to show Nel around a bit more." Dante said.

He and Nel walked off then, Starrk and Lilynette watching them leave. When they turned the corner, Lilynette looked up at Starrk and asked, "What thought did you have when you were looking at her?"

Starrk scratched his head and started walking away. "Some stupid idea. Let's go back to our palace; I want to take a nap."

"Starrk!" Lilynette yelled as she ran after him.

_With Dante and Nel_

Dante noticed how Nel was looking up at him in awe.

"What?"

"You're friends with first Espada, Starrk?"

Dante scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Not friends exactly, more like we know each other."

Nel smiled. "I think you would be good fwends."

Dante rubbed the top of her head. "I hope so. I'd like to be his friend."

"Well, well. Interesting to bump into you here Dante."

Dante stopped cold as Szayel walked around the corner, his smug grin in place.

"Szayel." He said with a blank face.

Nel was looking at Szayel in horror from behind Dante as she said, "Szayel Aporro Granz, the top scientist in Las Noches and the eighth Espada!"

Szayel noticed Nel and grinned. "Ah, it's nice to see that you remember my name, Nel."

Confused, she said, "But…Nel's never met you!"

Szayel looked surprised before smiling softly and saying, "I see. You can't remember can you?"

Dante had had enough of this talk as he asked, "Is there a reason you're here Szayel, or will you be on your way?"

Szayel looked at Dante and the cold look on his face, then between Nel and Dante.

"No, no reason. I was just coming back from a meeting with master Azien."

"I see. Well, don't let us keep you." Dante said in a cold tone.

Szayel looked at him one more time before saying, "Of course. Good bye."

He then walked off down the hall, looking back at them one last time before turning the corner.

Dante glared where Szayel had disappeared. He knew he was going to talk to now, and he knew why Szayel seemed to know Nel. Nel pulled on Dante's pants leg to getting his attention.

"He's scary." She wipsered.

Dante smiled and picked her up into a hug. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you. I'll make sure of it."

Nel hugged him back and mumbled, "Nel loves Dante."

Dante felt his stomach turn as she said that, but he held her and he said ,"Yeah, I know. Come on, let's head back now."

_Nntoria, healer quarters_

Nntoria was still bedridden from his last fight with Dante. While the healers had managed to heal his injuries, his nerves still needed to recover from the enormous amount of electricity that had been fired through them and until they did, the only parts he could force to move were his head, eyes, mouth, and lungs. Everything else was paralyzed for the time being.

Nntoria was stewing in anger and hatred for Dante for dealing him such a blow to both his body and pride. Everyone, even that demoted Grimjow, was making fun of him for losing to Dante! And it simply increased his already impressive hatred for Dante, and there was one other reason he hated him as he did. He had never been hurt this bad, not even in his battles with _her._

"My, my, still recovering?"

Nntoria turned his head to see Szayel looking at him smugly.

"Don't get familiar with me Szayel. Despite what you may think, we are not friends." Nntoria snarled.

Szayel looked on in mock hurt and said, "Aww, that's a shame. We've worked so well together, especially that one time."

Nntoria said nothing, simply turned his head away and glared at the ceiling.

"By the way, I thought you should know that she's back."

Nntoria glanced back at Szayel who had his smug smile back.

"Really?

Szayel nodded. "And she and Dante seem to be very close."

Nntoria grinned for the first time since his fight. "Really?"

"Indeed." Szayel said, pushing up his glasses as his grin grew wider.

_Back at the TARDIS_

Sung-Sun was currently sitting in the library, reading a thick book, her eyes narrowed as she read. Ever since Dante had shown them the library, she found herself there most every spare moment, traveling through thousands of pages of text, learning battle techniques, strategy, and weapons. But she also found herself reading more fiction works as well, simply enjoying the worlds that unfolded in front of her eyes.

Sung-Sun closed the book with a heavy thud and went back to the shelve she and gotten it from, then held the book up. It floated out of her hands, going up and up, then settled back on its proper shelf.

Sighing, she didn't have any idea what to read now, as Connor or Dante generally recommended what she might like, but Connor was sparring with Appaci right now in some training room, and Mila Rose and Tier had gone to watch, while Dante still had to come back from his walk with Nel.

'I wish I could find something interesting to read.'

And as if to answer her wish, Sung-Sun noticed some light from the corner of her eye. She looked towards it to see something was shining several rows back. Curious, she used sonido to get to where she saw it, and noticed that the wall, which she had taken to be solid, was open the smallest bit. A hidden door.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she wormed her fingers into the crack and pulled with all her might. When it rumbled to the side and she had enough room to enter, she saw a rather odd room. This place was smaller than the main library, the shelves average height, but filled with books, jars containing several odd things, and a small swimming pool off to the side. But Sung-Sun noticed all this before her attention was drawn to the main attraction. A podium that had a light shining down on it, despite the fact there was no lamp or hole in the ceiling to let light in. there was a thick book on the podium, in thick golden writing she couldn't read for a second before it squirmed and moved to form the words: _History of the Last Great Time War__._

Sung-Sun found herself drawn to the book as she looked at it in fascination. Dante had never told them about the last great time war, except to mention in passing that it had caused the death of all the time lords except his father and one other. She was about to open it before she heard a door slam open and Dante's voice say faintly, "Sung-Sun?"

Sung-Sun jumped. If this room was hidden, it had to be for a good reason. She quickly ran out of the room and braced her hands against the wall. She pushed with all her might to move it back into place and she had just managed to close it and step away when she heard Dante's voice behind her say, "Ah, there you are."

She turned to see Dante walking from behind a row of books.

"I was looking for you. Having fun?"

She spared a quick glance to make sure the door was closed, and said, "Yeah, just… reading a little bit."

Dante didn't notice her hesitation or glance. "Well, there are worse ways to pass the time. But I had something I wanted to show you and the others. Where are they anyway?"

"Connor and Appaci were sparring and Mila Rose and Tier went to watch."

"Let's go get them, I want to show them this."

"Sure." But in her mind, Sung-Sun made a decision. When she had a chance, she was showing the rest of the girls what she had found, so she quickly committed the spot to memory for later.

She and Dante started walking out, then Dante stopped as he took the first step. He didn't know why, but he felt a chill run up his spine. Like that old saying that someone was walking across his grave. He looked back at the wall where Sung-Sun and been standing and thought, Tthat was weird.'

But he shrugged and simply walked away, following Sung-Sun out of the library.

_Few minutes later, boys room._

"So, what did you want to show us Dante?" Tier asked crossing her arms.

Dante was standing on the platform outside the boys room while Connor and the others were standing in a group inside, with Nel looking at Dante, but she kept glancing at Sung-Sun every once and a while for some reason.

"I mastered spirit energy manipulation." Dante said smirking.

Tier and the others looked at him shocked

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT SO FAST!? AND WHEN WOULD YOU HAVE THE TIME!?" Appaci shouted.

Dante chuckled. "Oh I could laugh at the irony in that statement."

Connor chuckled as well as he caught his meaning.

"What's so funny?" Nel asked.

Connor looked down at her and explained. "Appaci is asking how a _time lord_ can find the _time _to master something."

Nel looked at Connor blankly for a second more, then her eyes widened.

"Oh. Heheh."

The others laughed along with her while Appaci blushed fiercely in embarrassment, but Connor put his arm around her and said, "Don't feel bad, that's a joke Dante has pulled on me before." He finished with a quick kiss on top of her head.

Dante smiled at the scene, then clapped his hands. "Okay, now this is what I wanted to show you."

He made sure he had everyone's attention and then, before anyone could stop him, he flipped backwards. Right over the edge of the platform.

Sung-Sun cried out and Tier felt her blood run cold as Dante did that. They were about to use sonido to grab Dante and pull him back over the ledge, but before they could, he started to fall, only to stop. Right in midair.

Dante had landed in a crouch 10 feet out from the platform, standing right in midair.

Sung-Sun sighed thenn shouted, "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?!"

Dante smirked and called out, "Aw, come on. It's no fun just telling you I can do it. The fun is showing you."

Dante slowly started walking back, eaisly as he explained, "I mastered making platforms of spirit energy to walk on, but I've also mastered using it in my body to enhance durability, sort of like how you guys use your Hierro's to do the same thing. And I've perfected something I've been working on."

"What?" Mila Rose asked catiously and who could blame her. Dante perfecting something meant they were about to have another heart attack.

Dante smiled again, then did something insane. Again.

He stopped using his sprit energy to make a platform, allowing himself to drop straight down, still 5 feet from the ledge.

Sung-Sun ran to the edge and looked down to see Dante falling in a skydivers X and shouted, "Dante!"

Dante didn't hear over the roar of the wind as he plummeted faster and faster, going from a skydiver X into a dive straight down, the air moving over his body like water and making his own eyes water from the pressure. Then just as he was about to hit, he used his new skill. He wrapped spirit energy around his upper torso and used it to stop his free fall, his nose inches from the ground. Dante smiled, then used his new power to yank himself back up, righting himself to face upwards as he did, zooming upwards and crying out "WOOOOHOOOO!" as he shot past the platform. Sung-Sun and others had to crane their necks as Dante was literally flying upwards, higher and higher towards the top of the dome, then turned gradually until he was facing downwards and rocketed back down to the platform, stopping himself and floating a few inches above it with his arms crossed, his grin extremely wide.

"This is what else I wanted to show you. I learned how to fly."

Sung-Sun then punched him in the stomach, causing his breath to go out in a whoof and go flying backwards a couple feet until he stopped himself.

"What was…that…?"

But he slowly stopped himself as he noticed the aura of anger around Sung-Sun and she looked up with killer eyes, making Dante gulp.

"Dante…" She growled in a menacing voice.

"Yipe!"

Dante then quickly flew downwards over the side, trying to run. But it was for nothing as Sung-Sun used sonido to simply follow after him.

Connor had to smirk as he watched Dante try to run from his angry girlfriend, zigzagging all over the place, only for Sung-Sun to appear in front of him. "Oh, this is just priceless. I can't tell you how much I've wanted to see Dante actually running from something."

The others had to smirk at the sight of Dante running as well, a single phrase running through all their minds at once, even Nel's.

'Hell hath no fury like woman scorned.'

Dante was eventually caught and given a couple good whacks by Sung-Sun before they came back in. Dante now had a faint black eye, a slap mark on the left side of his face, and some bruises on his upper torso, which were hidden by his clothes. Sung-Sun looked completely refined despite the whacks she had given Dante after chasing him down.

"Well, that was about it for what I wanted to show you." Dante said seeming to have been deflated since Sung-Sun had 'convinced' him to never scare them like that again.

"You okay Dante?" Connor chuckled.

Dante rubbed his cheek. "I'm fine, but my ego took a beating."

"I think that needed some deflating anyways." Sung-Sun said in a satisfied tone.

"Ouch." Dante muttered.

Connor laughed and said, "Come on, let's get you some ice for those bruises."

The gang filed back insde one at a time, but before Sung-Sun could go in, she felt something grab her sleeve. She looked down to see Nel, who was looking up with a determined expression on her face.

"I had a question."

Sung-Sun blinked at the tone in her voice, which was serious. "Sure. What?"

Nel took a deep breath. "What's your rewationship with Dante and Connor?"

Whatever question Sung-Sun was expecting, _that_ was most certainly not on the list. She blinked and stutered out, "Uumm… well, I'm friends and teammates with Connor, and I'm…"

Here Sung-Sun knew what she wanted to say, but for some reason was reluctant to say it.

"And…?" Nel pressed her.

Sung-Sun worked up the courage to say what she wanted to, squared her shoulders, and said, "…and I'm Dante's girlfriend."

Nel didn't say anything when Sung-Sun said that, but Sung-Sun did notice a flash of something in her eyes before Nel turned and walked back in. something that almost looked like…hurt. Sung-Sun thought, 'Why would she ask me that? She a child. It's not like she really has a chance with Dante.'

How little she knew.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: For those of my readers who are wondering when R+V S1 will be updated, don't worry. Freakypanda12345 and I are nearing the end of the chapter we're working on. So please be patient. Now a speacial message from my Winter War Arc co-writer, Jason grace son of zues.**

**A/N from Jason grace son of zues: Hello dear readers. I hope you've been enjoying the story so far. We've certainly been having fun coming up with ideas for it, including the twists in the last chapter, not to mention the fun with Dante showing off and paying for it. Painfully. But now it's time to pick up the pace a little. Enjoy!**

It was about 2 weeks after Dante had shown off his powers and boy was he having too much fun with it. The girls would often hear him zooming past their rooms in the hallways, and he'd also managed to increase his speed to beyond the sound barrier, so it was irritating to feel the floor shake when he went past. But Dante also flew outside as well, flying past the other Espada palaces. Their reactions were different. Szayel was interested that Dante had mastered spirit energy, Baraggan furious when Dante had flown past his palace simply waving with a smirk on his face, and Starrk had simply complained when Dante kept flying past his while making sonic booms, which kept waking him up.

However they also noticed a change in him. As the weeks passed, Dante seemed to be withdrawing to the TARDIS more and more, doing whatever it was he did in there, and when he came out he seemed slightly more anxious then when he went in. And he had apparently made sure they couldn't follow him, because when they tried to ask the TARDIS to take them to him, it wouldn't light a path. Only Connor seemed to know what was going through his mind, but he was tight lipped about it, despite their constant questions.

But other than that, things moved smoothly. Nel was getting along with the girls, but occasionally getting on their nerves, training was going as planned, and preparations for the war were on schedule. But Azien had called a few meetings of the Espada, but only for the Espada, which had caught Dante and Connor's attention. Dante was constantly checking the cybermite control pad during those, but they were proceeding as he expected them to, with no new information. Then, the day Dante had been dreading arrived.

The day of the second invasion of Karakura Town.

Azien called a meeting for the Espada while Dante, Connor, and the girls were sparring, forcing tier to stop the session to go to the meeting. Dante had understood, but the second she left, he said, "I need to check something in the TARDIS. You guys keep going without me."

"Again!? I thought you said that it was fixed!" Appaci said.

Dante simply shrugged and didn't give an answer, then used his spirit energy to quickly lift off and fly to the palace, creating a sonic boom as he left. Sung-Sun looked after him, then turned and Connor. "Okay, I'm demanding to know what is wrong with him."

Connor shook his head. "I can't tell you that. It's his business and if he wanted you to know, he would tell you. But trust me when I say, it's nothing to be worried about."

But of course, that didn't sooth their nerves. And Connor knew that nothing would until he came clean.

_In the TARDIS_

Dante flew into the TARDIS, the doors opening before he hit them and landed in the main control room. He quickly shut the door, then ran down the halls, skidding around corners and sprinting with his full seed before he arrived to the room where he was keeping the cybermite control pad, which was a small office that he had made simply for the purpose of hiding the control pad until the time was right. He quickly pressed his palm against the door and it scanned his hand print and DNA before clicking opening. Inside was a small room, not much bigger than the average bedroom, with several posters showing several movie promotions and a few bands, while in the center was a wooden desk and a chair in front of it, the control pad set on the top of it.

Dante closed the door and pulled back in the chair, plopping down into it before he grabbed the pad and said, "Activate."

The pad flared white like before then faded to black. It then brightened again to show the throne room, where all of the Espada were gathered again, including Nntoria, who was by this time fully healed, but still furious at Dante. Luppi was standing in what used to be Grimjow's spot, who was now standing directly behind him, and Dante noticed that Grimjow was missing his left arm, while having a new scar across his chest. Gin and Tosen were even there, on either side of Azien. The only person missing was Tier, but that was resolved quickly as she appeared in her spot having used sonido and said, "I'm sorry for being late, my fraccion were training and I was overseeing it."

"It's of no consequence." Aizen said lightly. "I had a mission for several of you."

"About time, I've been bored out of my mind." grunted Yammy.

Azien acted like Yammy hadn't said anything continued. "I've been giving it some thought as to how to weaken soul society, and I believe I've come up with an answer. I want Luppi, Grimjow, and Yammy to go to Karakura town and engage the Shinigami that soul society has sent as reinforcements for the last battle."

Luppi's face stretched in a twisted smile. "Good, now I can show them the new sixth Espada. I'm going to enjoy it."

Grimjow just snorted. "Keep in mind Luppi, Dante's the only reason you are the sixth Espada right now. He could have easily taken the position himself."

That shut him up, with Luppi's face twisting into a snarl.

"Master Azien, why are you sending them to fight the Shinigami? Surely it would simply mean they will learn more about their abilities and power." Ulquiorra said in his emotionless voice.

Azien smiled. "Quite right. Except that's a small cost compared to what I have in mind. I want you, Ulquiorra, to intercept the girl that you saw last time you and Yammy went to Karakura Town, Orihime Inoue."

The hands on the cybermite pad tightened. Dante knew that Azien was a master when it came to plans like this, but it still twisted his stomach when he knew why Azien wanted Orihime. It made him hate Azien all the more.

"She's currently being transferred to soul society, but what I have in mind is for you to intercept her in transit. Deal with the guards how you like, but hand her the ultimatum where if she doesn't not come quietly, her friends will be killed. And give her this."

He tossed a small object to Ulquiorra which he caught and looked at. Dante quickly zoomed in with the pad and saw what he suspected. It was a small bracelet with some sort of metal plate over the top of it.

"That's a special device. When Orihime agrees to come with, give her that and tell her that it will make it so she cannot be seen or sensed, and will allow her to go through walls. Grant her a 12 hour grace period to say good bye to only one person, then where she will meet you. You will then bring her back her. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Ulquiorra said while pocketing it.

"Good. Now Tier, I have a job for you as well. I want you to make sure Dante and Connor is in the dark about this mission. They are not to know that Orihime is here, and he is not to meet her. Am I understood?"

Tier hesitated for a fraction of an instant, which during it Dante could see the doubt in her eyes, before she said, "Yes sir," before returning to her usual impassive expression. Dante noticed this and thought, 'Seems like she's starting to see what he is.'

The meeting was then dismissed and those appointed departed for the world of the living while the others reported back to their palaces. Dante kept the screen active though, because the second everyone left, Gin asked, "You really think Dante would turn on us if he knew?"

"Dante's hatred for soul society is a powerful tool to keep him loyal, but I can see he has a moral code of never using innocents as leverage, or hurting them. He believes that only those who are evil should be punished or killed, not the victims."

'Damn straight I think that.' Dante thought.

"He's a pure soul, but Dante fails to see to eliminate evil, everything must be torn down and rebuilt to do so." said Tosen

Gin smiled. "Maybe, but I have to say, I'm surprised he and Connor got two of Tier's fraccion to fall for them. And I think Tier might be starting to as well."

Azien smiled as he stood. "True. I didn't expect that. But it's of no consequence. Once they've served their purpose, they'll be eliminated."

Dante's grip increased so much the casing groaned in protest and almost cracked in his anger. Dante snarled as Azien said, "Now come, we must check the Hykogen. It will awaken soon and we must be ready when it does."

And with that, they left the room. Dante tapped the screen and saw a slider at the bottom of the screen. Dante moved the slider the right, causing the image to jerk and blur, but when Dante moved it back to the center, it showed the same scene as it had 5 minutes ago.

"At least I managed to get that on tape." Dante said as he shut down the pad. He set it on the desk and leaned back into his chair. Sometimes he felt too old. He may be over 700 years old, but he didn't feel like it except times like this. When he was alone and the silence pressed down on him. He snorted and thought, 'How The Doctor deals with things all these years, I'll never know.'

Dante felt his pocket burn and pulled out his wallet. He flipped open to the psychic paper to see the words: **Danger, hidden library opened.**

"No!" He whispered as he jumped to his feet.

He ran and threw open the door, sprinting down the halls while thinking, 'They can't read that book! If they do, everything's lost!'

_Library, after Tier returned_

Sung-Sun led the way to the library, the others behind her. Connor and Nel had gone to the kitchen to get something to eat for her, while Conner had drunk some of Appaci's blood, then put some gauze over the mark.

Appaci saw where they came out asked, "What did you want to show us in here? There's nothing interesting here!"

"Actually, there is." Replied Sung-Sun. "I don't know how I found it, but I did."

Tier, interested, asked, "What are you talking about Sung-Sun?"

Sung-Sun led them to a bare wall and started patting it. "You remember Dante told us a little about the last great time war?"

Mila Rose scratched her neck. "Not really. All he said was it killed every time lord but his dad and one other. He's never told us anymore than that."

"Well, I managed to find a book about it."

They all stared at her.

Tier asked, "How?"

"Pure luck I think. I was looking for something interesting to read last time I was here when I noticed this wall was open a crack. It was some hidden room."

She slapped the wall with her palm in frustration. "But I don't know how to open it now!"

Appaci, in a somewhat nervous voice, said, "You sure we should be doing this? If that room's hidden, it must be for a good reason."

"Maybe," Sung-Sun said. "But Connor and Dante have be vague about the last time war and if we can learn more about it, and them, all the better."

Sung Sun stepped back from the wall. "But how does this open?!"

Tier placed her hand on the wall, but it seemed solid and unyielding. "Go through it in your mind. Where were you when the door opened?"

Sung-Sun took a deep breath and focused. She turned and looked, then pointed. "I was right there."

She used sonido to get to the spot, the others following her.

"I was putting a book back and I remember being bored and wishing for something to read. Then I noticed some light coming from the wall there." Pointing back where they had been.

Tier rubbed her chin with her finger and thought, 'What piece are we missing?'

Sung-Sun was thinking the same thing. 'I was bored and I thought… wait. I _thought…_ that's it!'

"That's it!" She said aloud.

They all jumped as Sung-Sun looking excited as ever and used sonido to get back to the wall. She put her hand on the wall and explained. "I see now. This door doesn't have a latch or switch for a reason!"

"Whoa, Sung-Sun, slow down and let us know what's going through your mind, huh?" Appaci said trying to get her to calm down.

She whirled around and said, "Remember Dante telling us about the psychic interface of the TARDIS? On how that's how it leads us to them, and how it opens doors."

"Yes…oh." Tier started.

The other girls looked at Tier and her eyes were wide as she said, "Oh. That's brilliant."

The others will still lost and it showed, so Sung-Sun explained excitedly.

"Don't you see? If the doors can open based on a psychic interface, which knows what we think…"

Their eyes widened as Mila Rose finished the sentence with, "Then it makes sense this door is the same way!"

"Exactly!" Sung-Sun then whirled to face the wall and thought, 'Okay, what was I thinking when this opened? I was thinking, I wish I had something interesting to read.'

The second that thought formed in her head, they heard a rumble of stones moving and they noticed the wall move an inch, with the same crack that Sung-Sun had seen before.

"Yes!" A she grabbed the doors edge and pulled, just like before. The door rumbled open as Sung-Sun pulled and the others saw the inside. She then pulled the door all the way open. Walking through with the others following and they all looked around at the odd sight. Appaci noticed the swimming pool and asked, "What's a swimming pool doing in a library?"

But that question went unanswered as they all noticed the book on the podium. Sung-Sun lead the way to it and they all stood before it. Sung-Sun reached out to touch the cover, but hesitated and asked outloud, "Should we be doing this?"

"We're already here," Mila Rose stated. "And it's right there. We might as well."

Sung-Sun nodded and touched the corner of the cover. It felt warm and she slowly lifted the cover to see the cover page, done in the same style as the cover. She was about to turn the page to the first page when…

"NO!"

They all jumped as they heard that and turned around, something blurring past them and they heard a deep THUMP sound after closing a thick book. They whirled around to see Dante with his back to them, on the left side panting heavily and hunched over, with his right hand firmly on the cover of the book, which was now closed. The girls all backed away slowly as Dante got his breath back and managed to straighten himself out. He turned towards them, his face with a hardened as he asked, "How did you find this room?"

"Dante..." Sung-Sun started.

"HOW!?" he shouted.

They all shirked back, even Tier. They had never seen Dante so mad.

"It… opened for us." she responded in a quite voice.

"What do you mean?" he said in a harsh voice.

She winced. "I just… thought I wanted something interesting to read and it… opened."

Dante looked around the room and then said, "Get out."

Sung-Sun got closer. "Dante…"

"OUT!"

They all jumped, then turned and used sonido to get away, Dante panting heavily in anger, then he calmed enough to look around the room. He pulled out his sonic and scanned the room, but the readings came back normal. Then he scanned the door and looked at the screw driver and asked, "What are you playing at?"

According to the readings, the TARDIS itself let this room be opened by Sung-Sun's thoughts. He looked around the room and looked at the book, and then he stopped out and pointed his sonic at the door. He clicked it on ad the door moved shut in a rumble, closing. Date twisted the screwdriver and changed the settings on the door so nobody could open it besides him.

"Nobody can read that book. Not now, not ever." He whispered.

Then he turned his back to the wall and walked away.

_An hour later_

Sung-Sun had been sitting in her room ever since Dante had yelled at them to get out. Where the others were, she wasn't sure, but Sung-Sun just sat on her bed, looking out at the dessert and sky. She heard a light knocking and she said, "It's open," without turning around.

The door opened and she heard, "Hey."

She glanced at the door to see Dante sticking his head in as he asked, "Can I come in?"

Sung-Sun hesitated for a moment, but Dante looked calmer then he had earlier. "Fine."

Dante closed the door behind him and he went to sit next to Sung-Sun. They sat there for a few minutes, then Dante said out of the blue, "I'm sorry."

Sung-Sun looked over to see Dante looking at the ground as he continued. "I shouldn't have shouted at you like that."

Sung-Sun's eyes became softer and she said, "And I'm sorry for going into that room. It was hidden and we shouldn't have done that. But… why were you so mad?"

This had been eating her away for the past hour. No matter what she tried to think of for why he was mad, none of them worked quite right.

Dante sighed. "The last great time war. It wiped out the timelords, except my dad, and the other one. We fought an enemy to a standstill. Then, my dad made it so the time of the war was permanent sealed off. A timelock. Nothing got in, nothing out. Trapped forever in a never ending war."

He looked right into her eyes and continued. "There are things I haven't told you, things you aren't ready to know. I know it might sound condescending, but the things I know that aren't at all to be shared. I know secrets that must never be told, knowledge that must never be spoken, but in that book you found, is the answer to the oldest question in the universe."

"What question?"

Dante shook his head. "You can't know. Because if you know the question, then you look for the answer. And the answer to that question is something that a group of beings wanted to make sure never sees the light of day. Beings that have devoted their life's to make sure the question is never, ever answered."

"But why? Why are they so determined to make sure that question isn't answered?"

"Because of the terrifying possibilities. Some things have a long and dangerous past, but the future of those same things would be infinitely more terrifying. So they make sure that they don't have a future."

Sung-Sun looked back out at the view as she tried to wrap her head around that. Something with a long and dangerous past, but an even more terrifying future. So terrifying that you would destroy the thing to make sure it never came to pass.

Dante put a hand on hers and asked in a cautious voice, "So… are we good?"

Sung-Sun looked back at him and studied his face before she leaned in and gave him a kiss. He kissed back and they enjoyed the feeling of each other's lips on the others, then they separated.

"We're good."

Dante smiled and squeezed her hand, then stood up. "I'll need to go apologize to the others then."

He started to walk towards the door.

"Dante."

He looked over his shoulder as she asked, "The question though. I don't need to know it, but what is the question referring to? The oldest question in the universe?"

Dante looked to the side, then back at her and said, "My dad's name."

Then he opened the door and stepped out, leaving Sung-Sun to ponder what he had said.

**from Jason grace son of zues: Whew. We are on fire. I handled most of this chapter because when I get in the right mood, I can shoot out some damn good stuff. It may seem like it's just filler, but a good story makes you feel many things, not just one or two. We need to make this a roller coaster of a ride if we want this to be enjoyed. Hopefully you did. Till next time!**

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: I'd like to thank Jason for helping me with this part of my story arc. Stay tuned for more and don't be afraid to favorite, follow and review. Peace out and stay gold.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Dante had gone to apologize to the others and they had all accepted, saying they were sorry in return for going into that room. After that, Dante spent some time with Nel and Connor, Nel having fun looking around the TARDIS some more while Dante and Connor kept her company. They then decided to get something to eat. Dante was getting hungry, but Connor would still be good for a few days while Nel's body didn't need food at all. He played with Nel for a while until it was time for him to get somewhere.

Dante glanced at the Ultramatrix and said, "Well, I have to get going I have someone I need to see."

Currently he was using his psionic powers to float orbs of water throughout the pool room, which Nel was having fun splashing into droplets or gently pushing them into each other and watching them merge and become a bigger orb.

"Aw. Who do you have to go see?" Nel asked as Dante let the orbs of water fall back into the main pool.

Dante smiled. "An old friend. Connor, would you watch her?"

Connor had been meditating in a far Connor of the room, the cloak around him, but he opened his eyes and said, "Sure. Come on Nel, let's get you some sweets and then go for a walk."

"Oohh, Coming!"

As Nel and Connor left the room, Dante had to smile and shake his head. Connor was surprisingly good at taking care of Nel, despite his troubled past. But that reinforced what Dante suspected about creatures that were left alone for too long. When they cross a line, they become more kind to the helpless and innocent.

'Like the Doctor.' Dante thought. He glanced at the Ultramatrix again. The person he would be going to see would be alone by now, but he had a stop to make first. Dante made a quick trip to a room the others hadn't seen yet. It was a sort of memorial room, where he put objects or weapons he had been given or had taken from enemies and allies of various universes. The one he was looking for in particular was sitting on a podium. It was a gold belt that had a circular buckle, the size of a palm, with the picture of a typical atom on it. Dante grabbed the belt and put it on, then pulled his hoodie over it to hide it for the time being. Making sure it wasn't showing at all, he then quickly left the TARDIS and activated his sonic, pointing it around his room. He had just sent a small virus he had made in his spare time into the entire Las Noches network. As soon as it infected the control room, it would make it look like, from the cameras around the entire base, he had simply reentered the TARDIS while he would in fact be going to a certain somebody's room. The virus would make it so it looked like she was alone when he entered, and it was completely untraceable.

Dante smirked and thought, 'Szayel may represent madness, but I learned from the best madman out there.'

Then Dante quickly used his spirit energy to fly through the hallways of Las Noches, taking a path that would look like a long route to where he want to go, but it was to make sure he wasn't heard or seen by anybody in the halls. He was also careful to fly fast, but not fast enough to make a sonic boom.

Finally, he managed to get to where he needed. Dante landed and brushed off his hoodie, then pointed his sonic at the door until it clicked open. He then put the sonic away and pushed open the door quietly. The person he was expecting was inside all right, currently looking up through her window at the moon, her back turned to him. All he could see was she was dressed in some sort of school uniform. She also had burnt orange hair held back with hair pins.

Dante closed the door quietly, then coughed in his hand.

The girl jumped and whirled around, her eyes instantly looking on to him and going wide before she took a step back.

"You…"

Dante held up his hands. "It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you Orihime."

Orihime stared at him for a minute, then slowly approached him and looked at him. Then she grabbed his cheeks and pulled on them.

"Ow!" Dante said as he stepped back and rubbed his right cheek.

Orihime put her hands over her mouth like she wasn't trying to scream and whispered, "You're real!"

"Trust me; I'm the most real person you're going to meet here."

Orihime put her hands down and she said with uncertainty in her eyes. "But… you were… with them when they came to Karakura town."

Dante sighed. "Kisuke didn't tell you, did he?"

Orihime's eyes narrowed. "How do you know Kisuke?"

"We're friends. And believe me when I tell you this, the only reason I was I that town at all was because I had to. If I hadn't been there, things would've turned out much worse. I don't bore you, or your friends, or soul society any ill will."

Orihime's eyes flicked between Dante's, like she was trying to catch one of them lying, but she couldn't find any signs of deception. She then said, "Then tell me this, why are you here?"

Dante motioned towards her bed. "We might want to sit. This will take a while."

Dante sat on one end of the bed and Orihime the other, then Dante began his tale. How he was a time lord human hybrid, taking some time to explain what time lords were, who had come to help soul society end the war, along with Connor, and how his plan had been to infiltrate Azien's army and turn his own Espada against him.

Orihime's eyes had widened further and further as Dante had told his story and when he finished she said, "Wow. You can really travel in time?"

Dante smirked. "Easily. Though i need the TARDIS to do it."

"What's the TARDIS?"

"It's the machine that lets me travel through time. It stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. It can go any when and anywhere you want."

"Really?!"

Dante chuckled. "Would you like to see it?"

Orihime nodded happily and Dante smirked. He had always liked Orihime. She was such a cheerful girl at times and had a way of raising everyone's sprits without trying.

"Ok then! Hang on a moment."

Dante quickly rolled up the sleeve of his hoodie and twisted the dial a dew times. A few seconds later they heard the telltale sign of the TARDIS and saw it start flickering in and out before it solidified. Dante went to the door and unlocked it, then turned to Orihime, who was looking at the box with wide eyes and an open mouth as Dante asked cheerfully, "Coming?"

Orihime snapped out her trance. "But, we can't fit in there. Not both of us at once."

Dante smirked and waved Orihime towards him. She got off the bed and stood next to Dante. "Get ready to be amazed."

He then pushed open the door. Orihime walked in and her eyes went wide as dinner plates and he mouth hung open as she slowly walked in. Dante brushed past her to the controls and watched her with amusement before he asked, "So, what do you think?"

"But…it's…" Orihime stuttered for a minute as Dante smiled wider. "Go on, you can say it. Most people do."

Orihime's eyes locked on to him, then she ran back out and walked quickly around the box, looking and touching it from all sides before running back in and finished by saying, "…smaller on the outside."

Dante's eyes widened for a minute as he glanced to the side and said, "Okay. That is a first."

**(A/N from both authors: any good whovian should know that line! If not, hand in your badge right now. If you're not a whovian, you're excused)**

She walked next to him and asked, "But how is this possible?"

Dante was smiling at her amazement as he explained. "Time lords made amazing things, this being their pride and joy. This entire place is a ship, the best ship in the universe! We can go anywhere and any when you like, and we could be back a minute after we left."

Dante ran to another panel and rapidly began typing as Orihime was watching him with childlike excitement before Dante looked up and asked, "So, what would you like to see? Anything, anything at all in time and space!"

She opened her mouth, but then the excitement slowly drained from her like a balloon with a hole and she said, "I don't know."

She didn't have any treasured moments that she wanted to visit. Her past was… painful… she couldn't think of anything in the future, so… where would she want to go?

Dante could see the look of conflicted and thought for a second before he snapped his fingers and proclaimed, "I got it!"

She jumped as Dante got in front of her and asked, "You love basically everyone and everything right?"

She nodded. It was just her nature to give out love. Except to a few things, but she couldn't hate anything either. It just wasn't in her nature.

Dante smirked even wider. "Then I know just where to go!"

Dante ran back to the console and started pulling and pumping things, flipping switches and pulling levers before he said, "Hold on to something!"

Then he pulled the last lever and threw them into the time vortex with the ever classic sound off the TARDIS dematerializing while Orihime managed to keep her balance. Then it settled.

"We're there." Dante then pointed at the doors of the TARDIS and said, "Open those door, and you will see the most amazing thing there is."

Orihime looked between Dante and the doors before curiosity got the better of her ad she opened the doors to…nothing.

It was absolutely nothing. There was, no place, no sound, just…blackness. But she did notice a spot which seemed much denser than the others, like nothing was there, leaving a pure void.

"Where are we?" She asked.

Dante walked next to her. "Same place, haven't moved an inch in any direction."

She looked at him before it hit her as she curled her lips into a cat like smile and asked, "So _when_ are we?"

Dante smirked back. "You caught on to that quick. Watch that spot for another..." he checked the Ultramatrix. "… 5 seconds."

Orihime did what Dante said and she noticed in the dark void was a small bit of… light. The light quickly grew and grew, until the blackness where the void had been was now light, and then that light exploded, blinding her for a second. And when she blinked away the spot, she saw a sight that just can't be capture by words. It was like an explosion of light, like a water balloon exploding, like a slow motion picture that slowly but surely spread outwards from the point of the void.

"What you just saw was the Big Bang. Welcome to the birth of the universe, Orihime Inoue. Welcome to the birth of creation."

Orihime looked at him, and then back at the spectacle before her. She was seeing the birth of the universe? She was seeing the birth of…everything? She found that… amazing. For someone like her, this touched her in some deep and emotional way as the light kept spreading outwards. Dante smiled as she watched in awe, and he asked, "So, what do you think?"

The next thing Dante knew, she was right in front of him and hugging him extremely tightly as she whispered, "Thank you," her hair tickling his chin.

Dante would have responded, except he had no air in his lungs and he was trying to worm out of her grasp. It wasn't until he was thrashing silently and then finally fainted that she noticed and let him go. It took a few minutes to wake him up, but once he had ad got his breath back, they both watched for a few more minutes before Dante said, "Okay. Shall we go?"

Orihime nodded. "I've seen enough."

Dante smiled and rubbed the top of her head in a friendly way before he closed the door and went back to the console. He threw threw the lever to throw them into the time vortex and turned back to her as he asked, "You hungry?"

She opened her mouth to respond but he stomach gave a loud rumble that moved the front of her shirt a little, answering for her.

"I'll take that as a yes." Dante dead panned, making Orihime giggle. He shook his head and said, "Come on, let's get something to eat."

He led the way to the kitchen, impressing Orihime when they arrived and Dante asked "So, what are you in the mood for?"

She thought for minute before saying, "Suprise me."

"Okay… what to make?" Dante thought out loud as he rubbed his chin. He knew Orihime had some real weird tastes, so something normal was out. What was something she would like and that he could eat without getting sick as well? Something different. Something original… and that led Dante to think about The Doctor and his first meal after he…

Dante's eyes widened as he said out loud, "Oh! Oh that's perfect!" he said with a clap of his hands.

**(A/N: whovians should know what Dante's thinking. And should know where he gets this idea. If not, again, hand in your badges.)**

"What?" Orihime asked.

Dante held up his hands. "Don't move. Don't move from that spot."

He quickly ran to the walk in freezer and threw the door open and ran in. Orihime heard several things being thrown as Dante said, "I know what I need… I need… I need… got them!

Dante came back out with 2 things, one in each hand. He held them up and said, "Fish fingers and custard!"

And so a few minutes later, after some simply cooking, he and Orihime were sitting at the counter while dipping fish fingers into the custard, which was now in a bowl, chomping them down. Orihime swallowed her mouthful and exclaimed, "This is delicious! How did I never think of this?!"

Dante smirked. "Sorry, but only the craziest thinker there was could come up with this, and I know him."

"Who?" Orihime asked as she dipped another fish finger in.

Dante finished off his finger and said, "Sorry, can't tell you that yet, but trust me when I say, this guy is the best madman you'll ever meet. And the most brilliant. Who's the craziest guy you know?"

Orihime shrugged. "Not sure. Everyone in town is a little nuts. But I guess I'd go with Ichigo's dad."

"Now forget him. Because this guy is even crazier, but also so brilliant, nobody knows he has a plan until it's already worked, not even him."

"Really?" She asked while finishing her fish finger.

"Yep. He's been around all the blocks, then they've rebuilt the blocks he's been around to make super blocks, and he's been around those too a couple hundred times. Trust me, you'd love him."

Dante then picked up the bowl and tilted it, finishing the last of the custard before putting it down and smiling, with a custard mustache on his face. Orihime laughed, as did Dante as he wiped off his upper lip. He put the bowl in the sink for the time being and sat down next to Orihime again as he said, "So, you know a bit about me I guess. Tell me about yourself."

"Well, I don't even know where to start. What would you like to know?"

Dante thought for a minute and said, "Well, I have to admit, I'm curious about those powers you showed last time we… met."

Orihime sat silent for a minute before she said, "Well, I guess I can show you."

_"I agree. I like him."_

Dante blinked at the second voice and looked around. "Who said that?"

_"Down here idiot."_

Dante looked back at Orihime as the hair pins she kept started glowing with a gentle light. Then the six petals of each detached from the hair pins into small lights and flew to the counter, where they resolved into what looked like bugs with small shells over them. Then they all stood up, showing them to not be insects, but what looked like tiny fairies.

"What's up Dante?" one of the fairies said cheerfully, waving at him. She had red or pink hair, wearing transparent yellow glasses and a blue bathing like suit. She had a rather futuristic look to her.

Dante smiled and bowed his head. "Hello there."

The fairy that spoke raised her eyebrow. "Huh? You're taking this rather well."

Dante shrugged. "700 years of jumping through time and space, you wouldn't believe the things I've seen. Though I am honored I assure you."

Another fairy, this one with a black jumpsuit and scarf covering his mouth said, "I don't like this. How can we know we can trust him?"

Dante looked at the fairy who said this and got down low to look into his eyes, the fairy narrowing his own as Dante did.

"If I had any intention of harming Orihime, don't you think I would have done it by now?"

"Dante isn't a bad guy Tsubaki." Orihime softly said.

"Shut up woman!" Tsubaki snapped back. "If it wasn't for you we wouldn't be in this mess!"

He flew up and tried to punch Orihime in the cheek, but the next thing he knew he had punched Dante's hand. He and Orihime blinked as Dante said, "Don't hit people. It's not nice."

Tsubaki simply glared at Dante. Dante then asked the other fairies, "Is he ever in a good mood?"

"No. Quite frankly if he was in a good mood we'd all be worried about him." Another fairy said, this one having blond hair in a tie up knot and red clothing.

"Be quite Shun'o!" Tsubaki shouted. "It's not of his business!"

Dante sighed as Tsubaki floated back down to the table.

"We'll, I think introductions are in order. My name is Dante Price, and you are...?"

The first fairy with the glasses said, "my name is Lily and this is Baigon…" pointing at a large bald fairy, wearing a mask over his lower face. "…Hinagiku…" pointing at another who had a purple suit and a large eye patch. "… and Ayame." Pointing at the last fairy who was wearing a dress larger than her body, with her shell set on top of her head. They all bowed their heads to Dante and he bowed his head back. "And you already know Shun'o and Tsubaki "

Dante nodded. "So, you're all…" He then cut himself off as he dug for his screw driver. He found it and pointed it at all the fairies, flicking it on and scanning all of them, causing them to tense slightly, before holding it up and finishing his last sentence.

"… Interesting. You're all manifestations of Orihime's powers, but you use her hair pins as a medium between her power and the real world."

They all looked stunned Dante had figured that out.

Lily asked, "How do you know that?"

Dante held up his sonic device. "Sonic screwdriver. Let's me scan anything and then it gives me the readings. Extremely handy in many situations. And the reason you showed yourselves is because you trust me, correct?"

They all smiled and nodded, except Tsubaki, and Lily said, "You have a good aura around you. You seem like a good person, and I have to say, your… what was it called again?" she asked, indicating the room.

"TARDIS."

"…TARDIS is very impressive."

Dante bowed his head. "It's always nice to hear someone compliment the TARDIS. But I have to ask, how do you guys put up with him?" he asked, pointing at Tsubaki, who glared daggers at him. "He seems like a jerk."

Shun'o said, "Oh, he's like that to everyone. We've just learned to deal with it."

"Hey!" Tsubaki shouted. "Don't talk like I'm not here!"

Dante pretended to look around and asked, "Did you hear something?"

They all laughed, even Orihime chuckling, while Tsubaki turned red with anger and said, "Oh, you're asking for it!"

Dante looked down at him. "So, you're itching for a fight?"

"No, don't!" Orihime said disliking violence, and the fact that Dante could crush Tsubaki with ease.

But Tsubaki ignored her and shouted, "Bring it big guy!" and flew at Dante.

Dante pushed him away for a second, then said, "Then give me one minute."

Dante stood up and tugged the bottom of his hoodie, showing the belt he had grabbed earlier. Dante grabbed the buckle and twisted it to the left once and said, "Okay, time to go."

To everyone's surprise, Dante suddenly started shrinking at rapid speed, getting smaller and smaller until he was standing on the floor, now the same size as the other fairies. Dante flew up so the others could see him and said in a witty voice, "I seemed to have lost a few inches."

"D-dante?!" Orihime stuttered.

He looked up at her. "Don't worry, size shifting. I can change back in a minute. But first…"

He flew up to Tsubaki, who was still looking shocked, and…

WHACK!

Tsubaki stumbled back, clutching his nose in pain before glaring at Dante, who was hovering there with a grin on his face as he said, matter-of-factly, "You asked for it."

Tsubaki shouted and flew towards Dante, trying to tackle him. Dante leaned back so Tsubaki flew over him, then braced his hands against a platform of spirit energy, and kicked up, sending Tsubaki flying upwards while clutching his stomach. Dante pushed off and flew up to him, but Tsubaki got his eyes open and saw him coming. He flew down towards Dante to intercept and tried to punch, but Dante dodged to the side with ease.

"Dante! Tsubaki! Stop it!" Orihime said while waving her arms, but they ignored her as Tsubaki tried to punch Dante several time, only for him to dodge or parry each hit. She looked at her other fairies, who were watching the show and asked, "Shouldn't we stop them?!"

Shun'o crossed his arms and said, "Let them go at it. Besides, it's about time someone stood up to Tsubaki."

Tsubaki in the meantime managed to hit Dante in the side, breaking his rhythm and getting Dante in head lock.

"You can't win."

"I beg to differ. You may have my head in a lock, but your sides are wide open!"

And Dante jabbed with 2 fingers into Tsubaki's opposite side, causing him to grunt and loosen his grip, which Dante yanked his head out and grabbed Tsubaki. He threw him down to the table which he hit hard. He tried to get to his feet, but the next thing he knew, Dante had his legs around his neck while pulling on his right arm and said, "Say uncle!"

Tsubaki refused to give up and tried to thrash his way out, but Dante pulled on his arm until it groaned and Tsubaki said in a choked voice, "Uncle! Uncle!" while hitting the table with his other arm.

Dante let Tsubaki's arm and flew back down to the floor. He then twisted the buckle on his belt the other way and within seconds he was back to normal. He smirked at the dumbfounded faces and sat back down while he bantered "Well, that was fun."

Tsubaki managed to get over his painful stretch and flew towards Dante in a rage, which Dante managed to stop by grabbing him by the back of his suit. Tsubaki tried to fly forwards, wildly kicking and punching as he shouted, "Let go!"

"Give it Tsubaki." Shun'o called. "If he wanted he could have squashed you when he was full sized. He was the same size as you and he still kicked your butt."

Tsubaki glared at Shun'o before turning back into light and flying to Orihime's hair pins, where he turned back into one of the six petals on both pins.

Dante looked down and asked, "Sore loser?"

Lily chuckled. "You have no idea. Now spill Dante. How did you do that size changing thing?"

Dante smirked and pointed at the belt. "This is a gift from a friend of mine. He was able to change his size with this thing, to even way smaller to what you've seen, so small you'd think I vanished. Went by The Atom."

"Really?" Orihime asked excitedly.

Dante smirked. "Really. And that's just the tip of the iceberg."

Dante spent the next few hours showing Orihime his psionic powers, using his burst powers over flames to twist it into fantastic shapes, then he showed her the pool room and used his telekinesis to make moving water sculptures of animals and people. Then Dante decided it was time to head back.

Dante landed the TARDIS in her room.

"Won't they know we were gone? We spent hours here." Orihime asked worryingly.

Dante smiled. "Actually, we just left a minute ago." Orihime looked at him confused. "Time machine, remember? Don't worry, everyone gets confused with it. Just can't keep it straight in your head."

Dante went to the doors and exited, Orihime leaving with him. Dante twisted the dial on the Ultramatrix and sent the TARDIS back to the time vortex for the time being. He shook Orihime's hand. "I hope you had fun."

Orihime nodded excitedly and Dante chuckled. "I'll be sure to visit again soon, but don't tell any okay?" he winked. "Truth be told, I wasn't supposed to know you were here, but I could never resist finding out things on my own."

Orihime nodded again and he looked at the time. "Ulquiorra will be here soon." Orihime's smile faded when Dante said this and he noticed. He put his hand under her chin and said, "Now listen. No matter what he makes you say, or what he says, don't let his mind games discourage you. You aren't here of your free will, you were forced to come here. And you are not just a tool. You are a person. You matter. Understand?"

Orihime nodded and Dante gave her a hug, which she gratefully accepted. He then pulled back and said, "Besides, maybe you can put some spark in the emo Espada."

She looked confused and Dante elaborated. "You know, because he's always so…" he made a face just like Ulquiorra's. Orihime smiled a little. "There you go. And don't worry. You have friends Orihime. Both here, and coming."

She looked confused and started to ask, but Dante put a finger on her lips. "I can't explain, but I can say this. Don't give up hope Orihime. Never, ever give up hope. And never think you're alone."

She nodded and Dante smiled one last time. He walked to the door and opened it with the sonic, then turned back and said, "Until next time Orihime," with a friendly wink.

She kept her smile on as Dante closed the door and relocked it. He sighed and thought, 'She has a hard task ahead of her. But she'll hold out. She'll have to.'

Dante sniffed and said out loud, "Well, time to get back."

Dante walked down the halls, for some reason deciding to walk instead of flying. Just as he turned the corner, he ran into somebody.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking…" Dante stopped as he saw who he had run in to.

It was 2 girls. The one Dante had run into was a young, teenage-looking female Arrancar. She had long, black hair with two pigtails which reached down her back, a slender build, and her visible right eye was pink. The remnants of her mask covered her left eye, which was shaped around her eye with teeth dotted along the bottom of the mask and there was an extension from her mask into her hair which gives the appearance of a hair tie.

The other girl was also a female teenage-looking Arrancar, but with tomboyish features. She had short, slicked blonde hair with a slight fringe over her right eye. In addition, she had green eyes. Her Hollow mask was positioned around her right eye, completely obscuring it from view, with teeth dotted around the bottom.

"…where I was going."

The black haired girl in front crossed her arms and said "Well, well, well. Dante Price, the newest addition to Master Azien's army."

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" Dante said keeping up a charade of ignorance. These two were very dangerous and he couldn't afford to make a wrong move.

The black haired girl replied, "No, but we know you. Master Azien was very interested in you and your friend, Connor Smith. Very interested indeed."

Dante wasn't surprised with that but he said, "Really?"

The black hair girl shrugged. "But since you don't know us, we'll introduce ourselves. My name is Loly and this is Menoly." She said, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.

Dante bowed his head. "Nice to meet you."

Menoly, talking for the first time, asked, "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh, I was just taking a walk and I got lost in thought." Dante lied smoothly, but the girls didn't look convinced. But they also didn't press him, because just at that moment Dante heard someone walking down the hall behind him. Dante looked over his shoulder to see Ulquiorra walking down the hall who instantly spotted Dante. The others were still hidden behind the corner so Dante said, "Hey Ulquiorra. What's up?"

Loly and Menoly's eyes widened and they took a step back as Ulquiorra walked to Dante and said in his normal voice, which was emotionless, "What are you doing here Dante?"

"I was taking a walk to clear my head. Had too many thoughts going at once."

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at this. "I thought you had taken to flying everywhere recently."

Dante rubbed his head. "Well, flying is good and all, but it takes concentration to make sure I don't run into something and right now I just needed to let my mind wander, so I just walked."

"I see."

Dante, wanting to change the subject, asked, "What are you doing here Ulquiorra?"

He replied simply with, "Master Azien had summoned me and now I was heading back to my room."

Dante nodded. "I see. Well, I have to get back before the others start to worry, so I'll see you later."

And with that, Dante turned on heel and walked away, glancing out of the corner of his eye to see that Loly and Menoly had disappeared from the side hall. Dante frowned as he walked down the hall and thought, 'Those two are going to be trouble.'

Ulquiorra watched Dante walk down the hall and thought about how unusual he was. Most beings were emotional, he knew that, but Dante seemed to restrain his emotions at times, then at others he let them sweep him away. Also Ulquiorra remembered something that Azien had asked him just before he had sent him to retrieve the girl.

_Flashback_

_"Ulquiorra, a question before you leave." Azien said before he left the room to get Orihime. Ulquiorra looked back as Azien asked, "In your opinion, who is the most dangerous, Ichigo Kurosaki or Dante Price?"_

_"There is more doubt in my mind that Dante price is far more dangerous than Ichigo Kurosaki." Ulquiorra said without hesitation._

_End flashback_

'Indeed, he is far more dangerous than Ichigo Kurosaki could ever be.' Ulquiorra thought as he opened the door to Orihime's room.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Dante jabbed at Connors head and he dodged to the side as Connor asked, "So you really think things will play out like that?"

He and Connor were both in the TARDIS right now, in the training room sung-sun had found him in a while ago, both of them doing some boxing in the ring to pass the time as Dante replied, "It's the only way that makes since. But if it does, then that means that we're going to need to be ready to move."

Connor tried a right cross, but Dante blocked with his own glove, then returned a left straight to the face. Connor staggered back, but regained his balance and said, "So if that happens, you want me to get a few weapons."

Dante nodded and leaned back as Connor tried several jabs at his upper body.

"Yes, since I'll be tied up. And I'll need to make a mental link so I can let you know where I am."

Dante returned with a furious barrage of jabs and punches, too fast for Connor to block them all, then Dante saw an opening and threw a punch at Connor's face, stopping a bare inch from his nose. They held the pose for a minute, then Dante pulled back his fist and used his teeth to tear off the Velcro strap and take off the glove.

After they both took off their gloves and got a drink of water, Connor asked, "Well, if that's the case, do you want to make the link right now?"

Dante nodded. "If something goes wrong, then you'll need to know."

"Okay, lets do it then."

Dante nodded and held Connors head in both his hands. Dante closed his eyes and then leaned back and banged his head with Connors. Hard.

"OW!" they both grumbled as they staggered back, clutching their foreheads.

"I hate having make links like that."

'Tell me something we don't know." Connor's voice said, except his mouth didn't move.

Dante shook his head to clear the pain. "Well, at least it works."

Connor rubbed his fore head a bit more. "Can't deny that. So, you're going to take Nel to see Orihime?"

Dante nodded. "On the off chance things don't turn out like we expect them too, I think it would be nice if they got to know each other."

Connor shrugged. "Fine by me, but if this does work like we expect it to, how are you going to get out? It sounds like they've thought this through."

"I'll think of something." Dante said dismissively with a wave of his hand.

Connor raised an eyebrow, feeling like Dante wasn't telling him something, but he knew better then to ask. Dante would explain something when he was good and ready.

Dante and Connor took a quick shower and changed clothes, Dante wearing a plain black t-shirt and a gray hoodie with jeans, while Connor wore his normal attire. Connor and Dante walked out of the TARDIS just in time for them to hear Azien's voice say, "Attention Espada, report to the meeting room immediately. We have an matter to discuss."

Dante checked his Ultramatrix. "Right on time. They must have come to Hueco Mundo with Kisuke's help."

"How long until they meet with Don and Pesche?"

"An hour. Then Peche should give them that package I left with him, and then the real fun starts."

They heard the typical sound of sonido behind them and turned to see tier.

"Tier, just heard. Meeting's been called. Are we invited?"

"I would expect so. So I suggest we hurry." Tier said.

Dante nodded. "Good suggestion. Would you mind giving us a lift?"

Tier grabbed onto both their arms. "Hold on."

"To what?" Conor asked as they vanished in a blur.

The next thing they knew, Dante and Connor were in the meeting room, the other Espada already there while Azien was sitting at the head. He looked at them and said, "Tier, thank you for joining us, but I don't recall Dante and Connor being invited."

"But you didn't say we were uninvited either, so we thought it might be best to come just in case we were expected to." Dante answered.

"Understandable. But this is a matter that we must discuss alone. Is that understood."

Dante put his hand on the table. "Sure, I understand. We'll head back to the tower then Tier."

Dante wasn't just talking out of habit, though it was that as well. He was also planting a listening device the size of a pin head underneath the table, yet it could read the sounds in the room with ease.

Dante stood up. "Well, good bye."

Dante and Connor left the room then, the doors closing behind them. The second it did, Dante said in his head, 'Take this. I planted a listening device in the room. I'm going to get Nel.'

Connor held his hand out behind his back and Dante pushed something in the palm. They both walked down the hall and Connor scratched his ear, slipping in an ear piece as he did. As they reached a turn, Dante said, "I'm going to fly ahead. See you."

Dante lifted off the ground and flew off down the hall. Connor heard in his mind 'Get back to the TARDIS, because when what's coming hits, we're going to need some weapons?"

"What do you want me to get?"

Dante listed a few items, which Connor committed to memory, and Dante said in after thought, 'Oh, and get _that _gun.'

Connor frowned. 'What gun?'

Rather than answer, Dante sent an image of the weapon to him and Connor's eyes widened while he turned even paler than normal.

'You want to use that?! Here?! Are you crazy!?'

'Wait for it…'

Connor rolled his eyes. 'Shut up. Fine, I'll get them.'

'Thanks.'

Connor grunted as he walked down the halls to los nochas, listening to his ear piece as he did.

_At the meeting_

Azien was looking at the Espada as they mulled around, waiting for Azien to call them to sit. A lot had happened in the past few hours. Azien had brought Orihime inoue from her room and had he demonstrate her 'healing' ability in front of all the Espada, having her heal Grimjow's arm. Luppi, who had been in the room, had declared it impossible, but he been struck silent when Orihime had in fact restored his arm from nothing. Azien then explained that her ability was nothing as simple as healing or temporal regression, but rather event rejection. She had the unique, and quite frankly impossible, power to rewind time, then reject everything that had happened from that point on. That was how she healed Grimjow's arm from nothing, even when it had been reduced to ashes. Grimjow had then had Orihime restore his Espada tattoo and killed Luppi, regaining his place as the sixth Espada.

Azien called the meeting to order and once the Espada we're settled, said, "I've called you here because we seem to have intruders."

The Espada all stirred with surprise as Grimjow said, "What intruders? And how did they get to Hueco Mundo?"

Azien rose his hand. "If you will all direct your attention to the screen."

As soon as Azien said this, a small circular opening appeared in the table and a small device rose out of it. This device then flashed a beam of light. The light formed itself into a ball of light which then showed a picture.

"This is a feed from the forest of Menos, where the intruders are currently located. We should see them right about… now."

The orb cleared then to show the picture. It was in a odd forest, the trees white and looking like some sort of quartz, but the real show wasn't the trees. It was the sheer amount of hollows currently showing. A good deal were low level hollows, small and white, a few were the evolved Gillians, massive black hollows that had masks that had a pointed nose, each one easily the size of a 5 story building. All of them seemed to be crowded around something, just as an explosion happened.

3 objects burst out of the smoke and started attacking the hollows. The one in front was Ichigo, swinging his sword like he was born for battle, destroying everything in his path. Behind him we're 2 others. Chad was on Ichigo's right, using the same armor he had used in Karakura town, dealing punches left and right, either killing or seriously injuring hollows with each hit. The last one was a boy no one except Azien had seen. He was a tall boy, having black hair that fell to his jaw, and had square wire rimmed glasses. He was using a glowing bow to shoot bolts of light that were hitting hollows in their masks left and right, all without miss. His accuracy was impressive.

"These are the intruders. Ichigo Kurosaki and his two friends, who are named chad and the other Uryū."

Grimjow stared at the screen, then his mouth twisted slowly into a silent snarl. Ichigo Kurosaki. That boy irritated him to no end, but he also amused him as well. The boy seemed to have grown stronger since the last time they had met, during which he had shown some odd mask that had lasted for 10 seconds before shattering. After that though, it had been easy to kick him around until another masked warrior showed up and occupied his time. But Ichigo hadn't been defeated by him and that irritated him.

His train of thought was interrupted as Nntoria leaned forward and said, "What are they doing here? And how did they get here? They don't have any means of reaching Hueco Mundo without a Garganta"

"As for how they got here, I suspect that Kisuke Urahara has something to do with that. He's smart enough to learn to make his own Garganta, from the few time's he's seen one. As for what they are doing here, I suspect that has to do with our new guest, Orihime Inoue. She's their friend."

Nntoria snorted. Friends were just shackles that held you down. If you wanted to grow strong, then you fight alone.

Grimjow stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going Grimjow?" Tosen said in a sharp tone.

"I'm going to take care of these insects before they get here. If they do, it'll get irritating to deal with them." Grimmjow said looking over his shoulder.

"Azien has not yet ordered this. As such, return to your seat."

Grimjow gritted his teeth and squeezed the hilt of his sword. This man rubbed him the wrong way, though it mostly has to do with the fact he was the one who had cut off his arm and burned it, causing him to lose his place as an Espada.

"Grimjow, return to your seat." Aizen said keeping his tone light and friendly, but making it clear it wasn't a request.

Grimjow grudgingly returned to his seat as Azien continued. "Now, the intruders are decently powerful, but they will have to be weakened from fighting their way here. As such, I see no reason to not wait until they arrive. You are to retire to your palaces until otherwise ordered. Understood?"

They all nodded, but Azien then added, "And Tier, keep Dante and Connor occupied. They must not learn of this otherwise they will want to run to the front line, and we can't have that. Not yet."

Nntoria sneered. "You and your girls should be able to find ways to keep them 'entertained,'" Making his intentions clear. If Dante was in the room, he would have killed Nntoria then and there. As it was, his hands tightened as he heard this through his ear piece.

Tier didn't react, as if the comment and Nntoria himself were below notice.

"Szayel, Nntoria, stay here. We have a matter to discuss. The rest of you are dismissed, but Ulquiorra, tell Orihime what's happening. And use your mind games to weaken her resolve." Aizen added.

And with that, they all left, except Szayel, Nntoria, Gin, Tosen, and Azien.

_5 minutes later_

Tier walked down the halls of her palace to the girls room while thinking of what Azien had ordered her. She had been feeling something for the past few weeks when Azien had told her to block out information from Dante and Connor and the feeling had steadily grown. Before she couldn't name it, but now it was clear to her.

Guilt.

She was feeling enormously guilty for deceiving Dante and Connor, because they had become more than just her fraccion, they had become her friends. And it was clear they felt the same way, and the girls had grown to like and then care for them as well.

Tier shook his head to tried to rid herself of these thoughts. She had arrived at the girls room and pushed it open to see them sitting around and talking, but they all stopped, stood, then bowed and muttered, "Mistress Tier," upon her entry.

Tier quickly noticed 3 people missing from the room and asked, "Where are Nel, Dante, and Connor?"

"We saw Connor head into the TARDIS, but he seems to have disappeared in there. Dante picked up Nel a few minutes after that. Said something about taking her to see that Orihime girl." Mila Rose said.

Tier instantly left the room, using sonido to move. Ulquiorra had just been sent to her, and Dante was on his way there too? But how had he know she was here?

But those were small questions compared to the thoughts she was having.

'If anything happens to Dante, Ulquiorra, I will make you pay.'

She had been feeling one other thing for Dante for some time now, and now she too had a name for it.

'I'm in love with Dante Price.'

_With Dante and Nel_

Dante had picked up Nel a few minutes ago and was currently walking with him through the halls of los nochas as they went to Orihime's room. Well, he was walking; Nel was clinging to his mid-section from his back, so it'd be more appropriate to say she was hitching a ride. Nel hadn't been happy about going to meet Orihime and she said, for the 10th time in the past few minutes, "Dante's Nel's. She can't have him."

Dante rolled his eyes. He knew why Nel was acting like this and he was not looking forward to dealing with it, which would be in a few minutes.

Dante managed to pry Nel off him as he said, "Nel, you need to meet some more people. Besides, you'd like Orihime. She's nice."

Nel hugged Dante and he hugged back. Then he let her go and said, "Now, let's go."

"Well, well, well! Look who's here."

Dante whirled around and spotted exactly who he expected to see. Nntoria. And he was sneering as widely as ever.

Dante put Nel down and said, "What do you want Nntoria?"

Nntoria's face twisted. "Revenge."

Dante started to raised his arm to access the Ultramatrix. "Good luck with that."

Dante rolled up his sleeve and was about to activate the Ultramatrix when he felt something hit him from behind, in his back. Dante fell forwards and looked behind him to see who had hit him. It was a man he hadn't seen before, but knew who he was anyway. It was a slim, male Arrancar who had dirty blond hair, along with a turquoise marking on his right cheek and had an eye patch over his right eye. The remaining eye was brown.

Dante tried to get to his feet, but before he could, Nntoria used sonido to appear in front of him and kick him in the side of his head, just above his ear. Dante fell to the ground again and looked at the wall. It was hard to see, like seeing it through a fog, and he was dimly aware of Nel screaming while Nntoria grabbed the arm with the Ultramatrix and put something on it. Dante felt a cold sensation on his hand, then finally he released his grip and sank into the darkness.

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: Blame Jason for the shortness of this chapter. We'll really kick things off next chapter don't worry.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**A/N from Jason grace: well readers, I have to say this has been fun! Putting some doctor who twists and turns on bleach has made for an interesting combo, even more so since the original creator of Connor, freakypanda12345, is now helping us. In any case, it's time to start the final segment of Las Noches!**

Tier stopped dead in the hallway. She had been sensing Dante and Nel's spirit energy and using that to follow them, but their spirit energy had just been erased. Not suppressed, she would still be able to sense that. It was just plain gone.

She then felt her stomach clench. If it was gone, were they…no! Dante wouldn't be taken down that easy, that she was sure off.

But then who had attacked them? No sprit energy was near them, so who had attacked him. Tier then decided there was only one course of action. Talk to Azien. Tier knew she might be punished for Dante finding out about Orihime, but if he found Dante, she wouldn't care. She quickly used sonido to go to the throne room.

_In the TARDIS_

Connor was walking through the TARDIS when Dante was captured. He was doing what Dante had asked and was heading to one of the weapon rooms to grab some things to use. When he got to the room, he pushed open the door to show an interesting room. It was designed as an old fashioned weapons room, stone walls and floor, pedestals to hold the weapons, and flickering torches on the wall to light the room.

Connor had always thought Dante designed the room like this because this was where they kept the more old fashioned weapons, like swords, daggers, bows. Dante had only asked for a few items from this room. Connor went to one pedestal, where Brisingr was resting. Connor picked up the sword and then called up his cloak. After flying out of his tattoo, he tossed Brisingr into it, where it vanished. Connor then went to another pedestal, this one holding an odd object. It didn't look like anything special, just some sort of woven red bracelet, but Connor had accepted that there was far more than what meets the eye when Dante's weapons were concerned. Connor grabbed it off the stand and tossed it in the cloak as well. Having what Dante asked for, Connor left this room as he entered the hall he spun and snapped his fingers his sunglasses morphed into his mask. He then went down the hall to the next door. This one was more modern, but looked bare, like an empty room where a lab might be housed. Connor looked to the right after entering and spotted the key pad Dante had pointed out. Connor went to it and quickly punched in a long code, then pressed enter. The pad beeped and the walls and floor opened up in panels. Out of those panels came light up tables and wall racks, all holding bright and complex looking guns. Connor wasn't interested in most of them though. He had always been old fashioned and preferred fighting with swords, though he knew how to use most of these in case the need did arise.

But Dante had only asked for one gun from here and it was resting on a small stand off to the side. Connor went to it and looked at it. To anyone else it looked almost like a toy. The trigger guard made up most of it, and it had a small grip, while the barrel was almost like a needle. Anybody who would look at this would think this was a joke, but Connor had seen this thing in action before and knew better then to laugh.

He gently grabbed the barrel, careful to keep away from the trigger, and tossed the gun into his cloak. Like Brisingr, it sank into the cloth, then vanished as the cloak settled around his shoulder.

Connor sighed and thought through his mental link with Dante 'Dante, I got the weapons. What now?'

Connor waited for a minute, but he didn't get a reply.

'Dante?"

Still no response. Confused, Connor touched the cloak lightly and closed his eyes, using its power to try and sense Dante's spirit energy. He didn't find it.

"Fuck!" Connor said through gritted teeth. Dante wasn't anywhere. Worse, he couldn't sense Nel either. That meant that Dante was right and they had made their move.

Connor ran through the TARDIS, but with a speed unlike anything the others had seen. Connor was running so fast he was actually blurring and leaving a slip stream in his wake, turning corners sharply until he arrived at the control room. He slowed down then and stopped at the door, then threw it open, ready to leave and try to find Dante.

Only to see the girls were there.

All of them were looking at Connor with hard eyes, but Sung-Sun looked angry, while Tier's face was hard and cold, fury bubbling underneath it.

"Uh, hey girls. What…?"

He was cut off as Tier grabbed his collar and pulled him in to look in his eyes. She growled menacingly, "You have some explaining to do."

Connor gulped at the tone she said that in. he may be powerful and 1000 years old, but even he was scared of female fury. And rightly so.

_10 minutes ago, throne room_

Tier had gone to Azien as she had planned and bowed before him before explaining why she had come so suddenly and told him what had happened to Dante. After she finished, Azien said, "I already knew Tier."

She looked up at Azien and saw that he was still smiling like normal and she asked, "Have you've started a search for him?"

Azien tilted his head slightly and said, "No. I'm the one who ordered this."

Tier looked at Azien in shock. This was a man she trusted, a man that she had given everything for, believed in him, but he was telling her, quite casually as well, that he had ordered this?

Azien saw the look on her face and continued. "I was aware Dante went to see Orihime, but that wasn't why this happened. Dante's shown himself to be powerful, but he has a moral compass that could make it so he turns against us. His powers are too great and diverse to allow that. Nntoria and Szayel are currently seeing to it that he won't turn on us."

Tier's world was crashing down around her and she was looking at Azien with increasing disgust. She was starting to want nothing more then cut him down where he sat. Then she started to reach for her sword, but Azien saw what she was doing and unleashed his spirit pressure on her and brought her to her knees as she gasped for air. He got off his throne and walked to her as he proceeded talking. "Dante, is an asset, but we can't allow that asset to turn on us. Nntoria will see that he remains loyal."

Azien knelt down and lifted Tier's head under her chin and looked into her eyes as she glared back with hate and disgust.

Azien searched her eyes. "You've fallen for him, haven't you? I know sung-sun and Appaci have fallen for them, but I never expected you too."

Tier didn't say anything but Azien said, "you are beautiful."

He stood and walked back to his throne, then released is spirit energy. As Tier got to her feet, Azien said, "Go back to your palace. We'll need to be ready when the others arrive."

Tier glared at Azien's back so hard, she could have burned a hole clean through him. She wanted to slice him, but she knew if she tried, Azien would kill her then and there. She would have to bid her time. And find Dante.

That meant she had one person to talk to.

She left the room with sonido, Azien said, "You can come out now Ulquiorra."

Ulquiorra stepped out of the shadows and said, "Master Azien. So, Dante has manipulated Tier into turning against you."

Azien smiled. "No, it seems that tier has fallen in love with Dante."

"Love? A useless emotion. I'm surprised though. Tier was one of the few I respected for controlling her emotions. Now she seems as weak as the others."

Azien smiled wider. "Indeed. But leave her be. Let's see how his plays out."

_Five minutes later_

"BUT HE CAN'T DO THAT!" Sung-Sun shouted. Tier had come to their room and told them what had happened.

Tier was sitting on a bed with her head in her hands. All her power, all he strength, and she couldn't do anything.

Appaci and Mila Rose were shocked as well.

"but why would Azien allow this?" Mila Rose asked.

Tier looked up and said, "Because of what kind of person Dante is. We all know Dante helps those in need. He may want revenge against soul society, but only them. We all know he wouldn't help in the murder of innocents, no matter what."

They all looked down as they considered that. They knew that was true, Dante had shown himself that he would punish those who deserved to be punished, but he wouldn't kill those who didn't deserve it.

They sat there for a minute, then Appaci said, "So what now? We don't even know where to look for him."

Tier stood up and looked determined. "Dante and Connor must have planned for something like this in case they were ever captured by soul society before they came here. We can use that. And then he has some explaining to do."

_Present_

And so, Connor was finding 4 females, 2 looking flat out pissed, and the other 2 looking determined and cold, and all focused on Connor. The only situation worse than this is running into an ex with a current girlfriend.

"Um, explain what? And can I have my shirt back?"

Tier pushed Connor back into the TARDIS and entered, the others following and then closing the door. Tier marched up to Connor, who had fallen back against the control panel, and asked, "Where's Dante?"

Connor pushed himself off. "What makes you think I know that?"

She got into his face and said, "Don't play games with me Connor Smith. You and Dante would've planned for something like this before you came here in case you were captured by soul society. There's no reason you wouldn't have something to track him now."

Connor glared at Tier, his mask shrouding his face evilly.

"First off, don't think you can push me around Tier." he kept going in an evil and low tone the corners of the room seemed to get darker, the temperature got cooler and as he leaned in close, he said, "I may be part of your fraccion, but I've seen things you've only seen in your deepest darkest nightmares. I've fought things that would make your power look like a drop in a bucket."

The standoff lasted for a few more seconds, then Connor turned to the control panel and started typing as he said, "But you're right. Dante always planned for something like this and made sure to turn on a signal in the Ultramatrix in case he was ever captured. The signal is broadcasted directly to the TARDIS, and he taught me the sequence to scan for it.

"But Dante said the controls were isomorphic. That only he and his father could work them." Tier pointed out.

"Not true. Not in that way."

"Explain."

Connor looked up and explained, "The TARDIS is alive, if you remember, and she can choose who she lets access to the controls. People who can't don't get anything, people who can access the full interface of the TARDIS. And it's a good thing that Dante made sure she let me."

Connor put in a few last strokes and said, "Now, the signal should show up in a minute."

The girls looked at the screen and saw the screen was rapidly zooming outwards, showing a view of Las Noches, then zooming back in. this happened a few times, then the screen stopped and flashed a question mark on the screen.

Connor stared at it, then slowly started typing and said, "Let me try again."

They screen went through the same process, but the result was the same.

Connor slammed his fist on the console. "Damn it!"

"What does that mean?" Tier asked.

"1 of 2 things. The first is that they've somehow smothered the signal the Ultramatrix sends out."

"Or?"

"Or Dante's dead."

They all felt their hearts stop as Connor said that and it must have showed, because Connor said quickly, "But that's not possible. It he was dead, then the TARDIS was programmed to instantly throw itself into the time vortex so nobody gets their hands on it. Since it's still here, it means Dante is still alive."

Sung-Sun sighed in relief. Then she asked, "But then what do we do?"

"The only thing we can do," Connor said. "Wait."

_Unknown location_

Dante felt like crap. He had a horrible throbbing in his head and a ringing in his ears. He realized he was laying down and slowly sat up, rubbing his head with his hand as he thought 'Did anyone get the license plate of that space cruiser?'

Date cracked his eye open and was blinded by the light. When his vision cleared, he saw he was in a desert area. He looked out on the horizon and saw that the palaces were at least 20 miles away.

'How did I get here?'

Then Dante remembered everything. Nntoria jumping him in the halls, being knocked out. Dante quickly tried to stand, but instantly felt dizzy. He felt something sticky on his head and touched it with his hand to feel dried blood.

Dante put down his hand to realize his other one felt cold. He looked at it and was greeted by an odd sight.

His entire hand was covered in some sort of gauntlet. Or maybe a glove, except this was completely solid, like he had dipped his hand in molten steel and it had solidified. Dante tried to flex his fingers, but they didn't move. He quickly rolled up his sleeve to see it covered everything 2 inches past the Ultramatrix. The Ultramatrix itself was covered it some sort of digital lock, showing a touch screen that was currently white.

Dante narrowed his eyes. This was too advanced for anyone except one person. Szayel.

But Dante was yanked from his thoughts as he felt something slam into his side, sending him skidding back a few feet. Dante stopped himself and looked to see Nntoria sneering.

"where's Nel?!" Dante shouted.

Nntoria turned his head and shouted, "Tesra!"

The man from before appeared with sonido, Nel held in his arms. He dropped her and she quickly scrambled to her feet and tried to run to Dante.

"Nel, stay back!" Dante shouted before Nntoria kicked him in the chest, sending his breath out in a gust and sending him skidding and rolling over the sand. 'What the hell's going on? I should've been able to dodge that.'

"Looks like that limiter is working." Nntoria laughed.

"What are you talking about?"

Nntoria pointed at Dante's covered hand. "Szayel knew you might try to access your Ultramatrix, so he made that to prevent you from accessing it. He also put in a little something extra. That glove makes it so everything about you, speed, strength, endurance, all of its only ¼ as strong as normal."

Dante looked at the glove. Not that he thought about it, he did feel weaker. Not only that, he felt like his spirit energy was being siphoned into the glove, maybe to power it. But his thoughts were cut off as Nntoria punched him again, sending him back. Dante spat up blood and Nel cried, "Dante!"

Nntoria turned towards her and she cowered at his look. He smirked as he walked towards her, saying, "And as for you Nel, how does you mask feel? Does it ache where I cracked it?"

Nel was too terrified to answer, and Dante slowly got to all 4 and said, "Leave her alone Nntoria. She never did anything to you."

Nntoria looked back at him, then back to Nel, then threw back his head and laughed. "Ah, I guess you didn't know would you? After all, she's lost all her memories."

Dante got to his feet and pressed a hand to his chest, feeling some slightly cracked ribs, and some nasty bruises.

"Well then, Dante, allow me to introduce you to…"

"Nelliel."

Nntoria froze. He slowly turned to Dante, who was panting slightly, still holding his chest.

"What did you say?"

Dane had to smirk and said, "I always knew who she was Nntoria. She's Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. The former 3rd Espada."

Nntoria sonido'od in front of Dante ad hit him across the face with the back of his hand. As Dante rolled to the side, Nntoria shouted, "How do you know that?!"

Dante chuckled as he stopped, then Nntoria started kicking and demanded again, "How do you know that?!"

Dante cracked open his eye and said, "You underestimated me Nntoria. There's very little I don't know when it comes to people. I know what you did to her."

Dante got to his feet again, more slowly this time and said, "I know the history between you two. At the time you were the 8th Espada, while she was 3rd. you constantly fought her, trying to win, but you never could. And she would never kill you. You eventually became so furious you sought help from Szayel. Then you laid a trap. You lured her to a place near the edge of Las Noches, then ripped off the masks of her fraccion to infuriate her. She fought you, but the thing is, she only fought an illusion that Szayel made with some device. That let you gain the upper hand and you cracked her mask, then threw her out of Las Noches with her fraccion. When she reverted to a child state, you said you would get stronger than her, even though you would never cross swords again."

Nntoria was looking at Dante in shock and fury. Shocked that Dante knew that and fury while Dante was talking about this, when it was supposed to be unknown by anyone, except him and Szayel.

Dante spat out to the side. "But you know the thing I find ironic?"

Nntoria sonido'od in front of Dante and lifted him up by his throat. Dante hung on to the hand, but he choked out, "The thing that I found ironic is that tier was made into the 3rd Espada, and that you could never beat her either, despite going up in rank. You'll never beat them Nntoria, and that's the cold hard fact."

"Shut up!" Nntoria screamed as he threw Dante. Dante was able to use his spirit energy to fly and slowly stop himself. Ten Nntoria used sonido to get above him and punch him down. Dante hit and thought, 'Come on, hurry up!'

Nntoria started kicking Dante in his fury and Nel was watching with tears in her eyes, pouring down her cheeks. Then she looked at Nntoria and he eyes grew determined. She ran towards Nntoria and he noticed as she did. He grabbed his scythe and prepared to slice Nel in half as she ran. Dante noticed all this and thought, 'Now!' with all the hope he had.

"Beautiful Charlotte Chuhlhourne's Miracle Sweet Ultra Funky Fantastic Dramatic Romantic Sadistic Erotic Exotic Athletic Guillotine Attack!"

Nntoria looked up and his eye widened before he used sonido to dodge as something hit the ground near Dante, sending up a plume of sand. Nel stopped at the sight, until it cleared to show charlotte, kneeling with his sword out.

Dante chuckled a little before he coughed up blood, struggling to sit up. Charlotte help him up and asked, "Are you all right?"

Dante wiped his mouth. "Could be worse. Would've been nice if you got here a few minutes earlier."

"I'm sorry, but it took a few minutes to track you down."

"You saw what happened in the halls?"

Charlotte nodded and cast his mind back to what he had seen.

_Flashback_

Charlotte had been wandering through the halls of Las Noches, thinking about Dante. Dante had struck him as an odd person ever since he had arrived, but that feeling had grown the more he had heard about Dante. Personally, he thought Dante was a good person, helping those in need, even him. Baraggan had made his opinions about Dante and Connor quite clear, but he just couldn't bring himself to hate him. After Dante had defeated Nntoria, Baraggan had raged about it, but Charlotte himself couldn't see what was so wrong with it. Dante had just been defending himself, and defending his friends. What was wrong with that?

Charlotte was snapped out of his thoughts as he heard something around the corner. Curious, he walked towards it then stopped as he heard a little girls scream, which was quickly cut off. He ran towards the corner, stopped, then carefully looked around it to see Nntoria and his fraccion, Teresa, along with Dante, who was laying on the ground, and the little girl he had recently heard about. The girls was being held in Teresa's hands, one over her mouth, the other over her upper torso to hold her in place as she kicked and tried to scream.

Nntoria had grabbed Dante's arm and snarled, "Keep her quite. We don't need to draw attention."

Teresa nodded while Nntoria took something from his pocket and slapped it onto Dante's wrist with the Ultramatrix. The thing clamped onto it then something that look like quicksilver started pouring from it, rapidly covering Dante's hand the last two inches of wrist before solidifying.

Nntoria nodded in satisfaction. "We're taking them to the desert area. We need to teach them a lesson."

Nntoria grabbed Dante and lifted him by his hoodie, then they both used sonido, vanishing rapidly.

Charlotte narrowed his eyes. Dante was in trouble it seemed, and though Baraggan would most certainly kill him if he found out, charlotte planned to help him. He quickly used sonido to try and follow them, but being slower than them, it took a while to find them.

_Present_

Dante coughed up blood again and charlotte was yanked back to the present. Charlotte pressed a hand against Dante's chest and said, "You have 3, maybe 4 broken ribs. You need medical attention."

Nel ran to Dante and said, "Nel can help with that!"

Dante nodded. "But first things first, Charlotte, can you get us back to Las Noches?"

Nntoria appeared 30 feet away and snarled, "Charlotte. You should've stayed out of this."

"And become ugly from not helping those in need? not a chance." replied Charlotte.

Nntoria snarled and said, "Fine, then you can die with them!"

Nntoria stuck out his tongue, showing his number 5 tattoo, but the dangerous thing was the golden ball of light starting to build there.

Dante recognized it as a cero. The problem was they had no way to block it.

'Come on, think! Put those brain cells to work!'

Dante couldn't access his powers, charlotte wasn't nearly strong enough to block that, and they were to far from Las Noches to arrive. Dante was distracted was he felt his sprit energy drain even more into the glove. It was irritating.

'Wait. Absorb spirit energy?"

Just as Dante thought of a plan, he yelled, "Nel, come here!"

Nntoria fired his cero at the same moment Nel ran to him. She hugged him and closed her eyes as the energy was about to hit.

Nntoria watched in satisfaction as the cero hit them, but then paused as it didn't explode. Then he noticed the cero getting smaller, shirking until it was small enough to see they were all fine, and Dante was holding up his hand, the cero being absorbed into the glove, Dante smirking.

Nntoria growled and said, "How did you do that?"

Dante explained and said, "Szayel wouldn't be able to accurately measure my spirit energy at any time. So he would have to make it so it could absorb an enormous amount, but he would anticipate someone trying to break it with spirit energy as well. So he made it so it absorbs both ways. From both me, and from the outside. Handy. Literally."

Charlotte took the opportunity to use sonido to get back to Las Noches, quickly getting out of range of Nntoria and his attacks.

Dante felt something shift in his mind and realized that the mental link was working.

'Connor! We need some help here!"

_In the TARDIS_

Everyone was waiting around the consoles, either leaning against walls or pacing. Connor was tapping his fingers on the panels in an attempt to calm himself. It wasn't working.

'Connor! We need some help here!'

Connor straightened. The girls noticed, but Connor didn't respond to them as he thought 'Dante! Where are you?!'

Dante quickly sent his view to Connor's mind, showing them rapidly approaching Las Noches.

Connor turned to the others and said, "Dante escaped! He's on his way here, coming from the north!"

He waved his hand and he was clad in his cloak top hat and sword.

"Woah what the hell is that" said Appaci nodding towards his rapier.

"I don't have the time to explain the whole thing and how it works." Connor said in a rushed voice. He then pulled out the sword. The blade was all black with frost forming on it. Once fully drawn the whole area became 10 degrees cooler. He raised his sword above his head and slashed down.

With a terrible ripping noise the girls saw in front of them as the very fabric of reality was torn. Billowing in the desert wind there was a hole. Showing the desert on the other side. Mila rose walked around it and as she walked next to it her herself even seemed to billow in the wind. She got to the other side and saw only the four others staring at her like there was something in front of her.

"How?" Tier asked.

"No questions just in!" Connor stated. Moving behind her. He walked and grabbed apacci by the waist and jumped through.

"Where did she go?" Mila Rose asked joining the others.

Tier looked at the rift and said "We'll we have to go after him to make sure apacci isn't in danger. She stepped through with the two others. Getting a tingly numb feeling as she walked through she collapsed. The numbness went away slowly and she regained motor control. She looked back to see the rift closing as if being sewn together. Then she looked over to see a comforting sight.

Apacci was beating on Connors chest with the bottom of her fists yelling, "CONNOR SMITH DON'T YOU EVER EVER DO THAT AGAIN OR I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Ok, ok, ok." He pleaded backing up. " It had to be done and if you would have just gon- OW! that one hurt."

As soon as she wa on her feet, Tier asked, "What was that?"

"I ripped the space time continuum A.K.A. The fabric of your reality to get us here but as you can see..." He said walking to where they had just come from "... I repaired it"

"So we teleported?" Sung-Sun asked.

"In a matter of speaking." Connor replied. "We have a few minutes until Dante gets here so I guess I'll explain. Everything you know is only your perception on life your reality... And when I alter it it is basically teleporting... In other words I took you from one point of your reality to another."

"So you control our reality?" Apacci asked slightly confused.

"Not me... This" he said grabbing the cloak from his back. "However awhile back it tried bonding itself to me, and I would control it."

"So why didn't you?" She pried.

"I wasn't ready and the universe I was in started tearing itself apart. And even if I did I would be me. Or entirely me. You see the cloak is made of the souls of Oranus and Kronos, the lords of time and space, and if the cloak bonded to me it wouldn't be entirely me my mind would be altered."

"Wait you said Dante would be here soon should we expect a fight?" Tier interrupted.

"I would assume so," Connor said raising his sword.

"And you would assume right."

Charrolte and the others appeared in front of them.

"Nice to see some friendly faces." Dante grunted. "But I wish it was under better circumstances"

"I brought the weapons you asked for." Connor noted as he reached into his cloak and brought out the sword and bracelet, being especially careful with the last one. Dante slipped on the bracelet on his other hand, but he said, "Hold on to Brisingr, I need healing first."

"Nel can help with that." Nel said cheerfully.

Dante grimaced slightly, but nodded and said, "Do it," while standing upright, then stepping away from Charrolte.

Nel got close to Dante and then to the shock of most everyone, she shoved her hand down her throat, seemingly reaching for something, then quickly took her hand out in time to puke all over him.

Dante shuddered and thought, 'Ugh, I can never get used to this.'

"Did she… just puke on you, Dante?" Tier asked.

Nel nodded happily. "Nel drooled on him. Has healing powers."

Dante felt the ribs in his body slowly healing, being accelerated by his own powerful healing powers.

"Now, onto more pressing matters, I need to get this off."

Dante then held up his gloved hand while grabbing his sonic with the other. He scanned the touch screen, then looked at the screwdriver. "Oh perfect."

"How bad?" Connor asked in a nervous tone.

"Bad. This thing has 10 different number locks that are changing 10 trillion times per second, and on top of that it has 20 different mutating firewalls."

Sung-Sun leaned in looking at the device and asked, "Can you crack it?"

"In theory, no. In reality… it'll take at minimum of 20 minutes."

"Too bad you don't have that much time or this will never work." Connor said looking into the desert.

Everyone turned to see Nnitoria and Tesera blur into view. Nnitoria snarled he spotted the others and said, "So, you found us did you?"

Dante held up a finger and said "Technically, you actually found us. Not that we were hiding in the first place... Connor, now I'll need Brisingr."

Connor smirked beneath his mask and reached into the depths of his cloak and pulled out the sword. "Here it is." And tossed it to Dante after unsheathing it which he caught the blade one-handed.

Nnitoria grabbed his scythe while snorting and said, "You think you can fight me without any of your powers Dante, then you're even more delusional than I thought."

"I've never had access to my powers plenty of times. I can still beat you." Dante replied.

Dante meant what he said, but things would be getting tricky. The glove was still sucking out his spirit energy, so he wouldn't be able to fly or make any platforms out of spirit energy as well. But he might be able to do something else.

"In fact, i'll let you take the first strike."

A few yards away, Tier tightened her grip on her sword, but Connor noticed this and said, "Don't. Dante's got this."

"He could only beat Nnitoria due to his powers. now that he can't access them, or his spirit energy." Tier replied.

"But don't forget Dante has been trained in the art of nearly any weapon for at least 10-20 years, and that is a magical sword." Connor pointed out. Then thought, 'Still this will be harder than before.'

"And he would let me know if he needed any help right?" He asked Dante.

Dante just turned his head and smirked at them. Then he turned back to Nnitoria, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, they were glazed over.

They all looked at Dante as Tier asked, "What's wrong with him?"

"Not a thing." Connor replied.

Nnitoria glared at dante, but his expression didn't change from his blank one. Nnitoria snorted and used sonido to vanish. He would finish this with one strike. He then got behind Dante and slashed downwards towards the neck.

Dante dodged to the side without looking, then whirled like a top and slashed Nnitoria across the chest. The blade made a slight cut across his chest. Nnitoria looked at the wound in shock, then back at dante. He still had that blank look on his face. The one eyed espada gritted his teeth and tried to slash again, but Dante leaned back, dodging the blow. Nnitoria then tried several cuts, punchs, and kicks, but Dante dodged every single attack, his expression never changing.

Tier and the others watched in amazement as Dante attacked viscously, never making a single wasted movement as he did, which was pressing back Nnitoria.

"How is he doing that?! I'm not getting any sort of aura from him!" Appaci asked.

Connor smirked under his mask as he watched Dante on the offensive and said "instinct."

Tier looked at Connor. "What?"

"To put it simply, the reason you can't get any aura from him is because he's not putting one out. Dante's fighting while zoning out."

Tier, intrigued by this, asked, "How is that possible?"

"Living beings have always had a small amount of instinct. The problem is that most people don't believe in their instincts enough for them to grow. But some people do. Take chess. When you start out playing, you may not do so well. But as you slowly gain more and more experience, you become confident enough to trust your instincts, all the way up to becoming professional. Professional chess players don't think. They feel the best possible move."

The girls watched as Dante kept ducking and weaving through Nnitoria's strikes with ease, dealing his own strikes through the tiniest gaps in his guard.

Appaci had a thought then said, "But if you apply instinct to battle, wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"In the first few fights yes. But Dante has been in thousands of fights, all dealing with a mixture of defense and offense. If someone like Nnitoria tried instinct, they would only know how to attack. What you're seeing is the result of an enormous amount of fighting experience."

Nnitoria in the mean time was getting extremely frustrated. No matter what he tried to do, that blasted brat dodged then counter attacked before he could stop it. And all with that stupid look on his face.

Nnitoria used sonido to put some distance between them, his cloths cut in several places and small to moderate cuts covering him. Nnitoria shouted, "You can't beat me Dante! I'm the strongest there is!"

Then he stuck out his tounge and started charging a cero.

Tier started forward, but Connor held her back and said, "Don't worry, he's got this."

As Connor finished saying that, Nnitoria fired his cero. Dante watched the cero approach with blank eyes, then kneeled down and crossed his arm, the one with the bracelet in front as the cero struck.

The girls eyes widened as Sung-Sun cried, "DANTE!"

Nnitoria laughed madly and shouted "So, you finally admitted I was stronger Dante! That I was superior to you in everyday! That I-."

"Do you ever shut up?"

Nnitoria stopped in mid rant and looked at the cloud of smoke the cero had raised with shock. The cloud cleared to show a rather odd object. To those on the side, it almost looked like a bullet, the front narrow and pointed but expanding as it moved back, then left open in a wavy style.

The object then started shrinking, collapsing from the back to the front, until it receded enough to show a smirking Dante, with the shield shrinking back into the bracelet he had been wearing.

Dante stood back up and said, "Sorry to disappoint you, but this wouldn't bend under something like that. Now..."

He held up Brisingr and said, "...time to turn up the heat.** BRISINGR!**"

The sword burst into flames, the molten tounges of heat licking the air with greed before settling back down, the flames almost white with heat.

Dante's eyes went blank again and he charged, showing much more speed then he had before. Nnitoria was still too stunned as Dante rushed him and by the time he had the sense to block, it was too late as he was sliced from shoulder to hip, the sword first cutting, then burning his chest into a red and black mess. Nnitoria screamed in agony before Dante spun and kicked him back in the chest, the wounds on his chest increasing two fold.

"Master!" Tesera cried from the side lines, rushing to Nnitoria's side.

Connor blurred in front of him and punched him in the chest, sending him skidding back. Tesera grunted andlooked up in time for Connor to deliver a hit to the chin with his knee, sending his head snapping back, then Nnitoria grabbed him the front of his head and threw it down, sending up a blast of sand as it hit.

"Where do you think you're going?" Connor asked while resting his sword on his shoulder

The girls all blinked at Connor's speed and ferocity, but they were impressed as well.

Tesera was frozen with fear looking at Connor's blade. He swallowed hard and blinked not removing his eye from the sword.

"Oh this?" Connor said bringing it to his throat. "It won't hurt... for long."

"Oh you don't understand... I'm not going out without a fight." He said and used sonido to get away. With some distance between them he said "Crush,Verruga!" Tesra was them engulfed in a flash of light. When the dust receded, there stood a huge warthog-like creature. His hair was grown around his head and became a mane, and on his chest where six exclamation point-like markings, three per pec. His mask had a large scar covering his right eye, where he had an eye patch in his unreleased form.

"Oh.." Connor muttered, "This is going to need a little more fire power." Instantly his sword started to morph in his hands.

The first change was obvious the blade was growing larger and larger from three feet to eight. The swords new weight mad it sink into the ground a little. The blade then widended from one foot to 6 1/2Then the intricate hilt started melting into a demonic goat skull who's teeth marked the beginning of the blade. Then out of where the goats jaw would be shot out two runed blades like claws not more than five inches long. Then from the top of the goat skull on either side shot out two miniature dragons heads to form the new hilt. In which the goats horns wrapped around. The pummel of the blade became a skull and the handle now a foot long had three metal rings on it that we're encrusted with blue jewels that glowed eerily.

Connors mask hid the evil grin that had spread across his face with glee. He heaved the sword now larger than him onto his shoulder.

The girls were in awe and Mila Rose even started to shiver as the temperature dropped and an odd cover of clouds started forming in the sky. Small flakes of snow stated to drift down as everyone's breath started to show. Tesera grunted and showed little fear.

"Making your sword bigger and changing the weather don't make me afraid you pathetic weakling" he roared with courage.

"You have never been more wrong." Connor nearly whispered and all the spectators backed away.

Tesera roared and started to charge. Connor gripped the sword in both hands and swung it beside him.

Tesera got closer building speed.

Connor leaned forward and gripped the sword tighter.

The incoming beast was moving at max speed and was nearly to him.

Connor lifted the sword off the ground and turned the blade sideways.

The beast was barreling down the last few meters. 30, 20, 10!

Connor swung the mighty blade impacting with the giants side and the impact boomed like thunder. The beast stopped moving in his tracks and was lifted sideways into the air and was swung around and fell off 15 meters from where Connor stood.

The damage didn't seem to be much at first it only looked like Tesera was hit with a blunt object.

"What good is a blade that doesn't cut." Mila Rose asked Connor.

"Oh it did." Connor boasted.

Tesera was currently feeling like he was in a blizzard. 'That didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would... But I feel so damned cold' he thought. He looked down to where the sword had hit. Nothing major... Until he tried standing up. The cut was so precise that he couldn't tell it was even there. His skin stretched open revealing his ribs and spine. He saw all the nerve endings frozen so he couldn't feel any pain. However his mind was freaking out at the sight of his muscles ripped in two condensed to the tendons in which the belonged to. His liver now split in two was gushing out the blood I was working so furiously to filter. In panic he started to jump with fear and heard a few snaps as his bottom few ribs tore apart. He screamed in pain shrinking down and changing back to his normal form.

Connor walked over to his opponent and looked him in the eyes. Behind the mask he said, " You served a man who was evil however you have done me no real harm so I will not sentence you to an eternity in this blade, your punishment will be much less severe."

He stabbed the blade into the earth now covered in a small layer of snowflakes. His hand reaching up to his mask he slowly removed it from his face. Once his eyes were revealed Tesera couldn't help but look into them.

Tier closed her eyes and shielded Sung-Sun's and Mila-Rose's as the poor souls body started to under go a horible process.

First his skin started to wrinkle and smolder as a foggy paint covered his eyes and they started to glow blue. His smoldering skin stared to char like paper as its insides dissolved. His mouth opened wider than it should have and a green almost transparent smoke started to rose from it into Connor's eyes. Connor then pulled his mask down and walked away from the soot stained skeleton with nothing but a black paper like ash surrounding it where skin used to be.

Nnitoria in the meantime, a fair distance away, was struggling to get to his feet while Dante watched, holding his sword away from him as the heat of it was slowly turning the sand to glass. He glanced at Connor's fight and grimaced slightly at the sight. He could never get used to that.

Nnitoria got up and panted heavily as beheld his chest then looked at his wound. It was cauterized and expanded a full inch from the skin. Dante looked back at Nnitoria and said, "Give up Nnitoria. You can't win with that wound."

Nnitoria gritted his teeth and screamed, "Don't you look down on me! Pray, Santa Teresa!"

Nnitoria was covered in an explosion of dust and spirit energy.

Everyone narrowed their eyes at the wind and the pressure of the spirit energy. Then the dust cleared to show Nnitoria's released state.

Nnoitra had gained an extra set of arms, which took on an insect-like carapace and clawed hands, with each hand holding a large scythe-like weapon as well. The scythes themselves resembled the appendages of a praying mantis, and had a small golden tassel at the end of each staff. He had also gained a golden marking extending from his forehead to below his right eye, as well as a pair of horns on his head resembling a crescent moon, with his left horn longer than his right. He had several white, tendril-like appendages around his torso which extend over the sides of his abdomen. His Hollow mask also changed, becoming torn, with the teeth extending over the hole itself.

Dante frowned. This was going to be hard. Especially since he had to provide a certain push for Nel.

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: Good freaking GOD! That took nearly forever. I hope you readers enjoy this extended chapter over the disappointment of the last one. Now to reassure my Rosario Vampire readers that I will be getting to the next chapter, which happens to be the one with the medusa. I'll have that up by either next month or the end of this month. Till next time. **

**A/N from Jason grace: Whew! this was a long chapter, but thats to make up for giving you such a short one last time. now you've gotten a good one and it's just going to keep getting better! plus, we've got quite a few twists, turns, and laughs planned. stay tuned!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: I should clear something up. Dante does have to regenerate whenever he's lethally injured, but a scrape or a cut will heal thanks to a healing factor that he got from the Marvel Universe(which I will be doing a story on). On with the show!**

While Dante and the others were fighting Nnitoria, a group of beings had infiltrated Los Nochas, then split up. One of them currently running through the halls was a certain orange haired Substituite Shingami. Ichigo was currently running through the halls, sensing Orihime's spirit energy while noticing something else. A massive amount of spirit energy in the center of Los Nochas. He sensed several others as well, but 2 of them felt odd. One was human mixed with something he had never felt, and the other almost felt like a...dead soul? He patted his pocket and felt the object still there. still remembered the message it gave him.

_Flashback_

Ichigo and the others had managed to reach Los Nochas in a fairly decent fashion, after fighting through a forest of hollows, 2 Arrancar, and then having to run through a dessert. and finally they had arrived at the dome, only to run into 2 rather odd Arrancar, going by the name's Pesche and Don. When they had seen Ichigo and the others, they had first freaked, but then Uryu had explained why they had come. This had started the real fun.

"Wait. You're trying to get back a friend from Azien?" Pesche asked in a serious tone.

Ichigo nodded. "Yes."

"And you oppose him?"

"Damn right!"

Pesche looked at Don and asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Don nodded then turned to Ichigo. "We have something to give you."

Ichigo tensed. "What?"

Don opened his mouth wide and stuck his hand into it, rummaged around a bit, then pulled out the hologram ball that Dante had given them. He then closed his mouth and held out the ball.

"Here. We were told to give you this."

Uruyu pushed up his glasses and leaned closer to look at the ball. "This is a rather odd construction. Clearly advanced, yet this doesn't have the tell tale marks of soul society or Arrancar technology."

"Who did you get this from?" Ichigo asked.

"A friend of ours. He was kind enough to take our sister into Los Nochas and out of the dessert." Pesche explained.

Ichigo tensed again. "What friend?"

"Somone you know, but all he said when he promised to keep our sister safe, he made us promise to give this to a boy with orange hair, who would be trying to get back his friend, and would be against Aizen." Said Don.

Ichigo frowned. He didn't like the sound of this, but he didn't sense anything wrong from these two. So he slowly reached out and took the orb, holding it in both hands. He looked at it for a minute and said, "Now what-OW!"

Ichigo dropped the ball and held his right hand as Chad asked urgently, "Ichigo, what's wrong?"

"That thing spiked me in the hand!"

He showed them small puncture marks, barely skin deep, in the shape of a square. They looked at the orb to see the spikes sticking out the side retract with a clink. Then an electronic computer voice said:

"Blood sample taken and analyzed. Identity, Ichigo Kurosaki, confirmed. Beginning message."

The orb then lifted into the air with a slight warring sound, hovered for a few seconds at Ichigo's eye level, then shot out a cone of light, which ended to make some sort of screen. The image was of a vase interior of a console room of some kind that had a corralisk design. Then a familiar person stepped into the frame. Ichigo immediately recognized him from when he fought Yammy in the park back in Kakahura Town.

_"Hello?" _The person then tapped the camera lens._ "Is this working? If you've finally gotten this message I'm sure you have a lot of questions to ask. Well I can't answer them all now. All you need to know is that I'm a friend, my name's Dante Price, and yes I accompanied 4th Espada Ulquirroa and the Cero Espada Yammy in Kakahura Town. But you can trust me because I'm in alliance with soul society and I've made an agreement with them to take out Aizen. If you're worried about Orihime, don't worry, she's perfectly safe but by now she might be in danger. This message orb will guide you to my location, which is located inside of 3rd Espada Tier Harribel's palace. Let it guide you there, but if you engage battle with any Arracarns make sure to make it fast because I'm on a tight schedule. I'll see you soon then Berry Boy."_

The screen then cleared and resolved into 2 separate points of light. One them was red, the other green, with the green light flashing. Then the cone receded back into the ball and the ball fell to the ground, landing softly in the sand and flashing red.

Everyone was looking at the orb in surprise, then Chad said, "Well that was ...interesting. What do you think Ichigo? Ichigo?"

Everyone looked at Ichigo who was looking at the orb with a mixture of shock, disbelief, and anger. The cause was revealed as he shouted, "I'M NOT A BERRY BOY!"

_End flashback_

So, after that, Ichigo and the others tried to infiltrate Los Nochas, only to be stopped by the gigantic sand hollow guarding it. When they had been unable to defeat him, Rukia and Renji had come from nowhere to kill the hollow. Ichigo had brought them up to speed, and a few events later, they had split up. Ichigo knew what Dante had said and did, but if he ws this close to saving origins, then damn it, he was going to do it. And nothing was going to stop him. He stumbled a little as he felt a rumble. He looked around and thought, 'What the hell is going on here?'

_With Dante, 10 minutes later_

Currently Dante was in mortal combat not really in his favor. Nnitoria kept advancing at a slow anxiety building crawl. With all his mantis scythes striking like lightning, they punctured the ground deeply with each strike. Dante was managing to side step most of them with a few barly skimming him. Thanks to his healing factor that wasn't proving to be much of a problem but they applied enough pressure that dodging his main scythe strikes and cero's were exhausting him. Nnitoria was still advancing with glee this would finally be the day he made Dante Price pay for humiliating him. Sweat started to form on Dante's brow as he was backing up into the desert, the others watching anxiously, but Connor was telling them they mustn't interfere, as Dante's plan would work. Nnitoria stuck the ground underneath him and blasted sand into his eyes. Using the distraction, he picked him up with one of the scythe and grabbed Dante, holding his feet by only a few inches above the ground. He lined up a scythe next to Dante's throat and said, "This is the end Dante."

Dante then sliced off one Nnitoria's arm he was held by with Brisingr and dropped to the ground. He then rolled up and expected to see him clutching the stub of an arm he had left... he was wrong. Nnitoria roared in anger and as soon as Dante showed his face, it received a blow from the butt of his scythe snapping his jaw.

"You think losing an arm is worth losing to you again!" Nnitoria roared. The stub dripping blood like crazy. Dante tried to get up holding his jaw when his feet were swiped out underneath him and he hit the ground... Hard. "How dare you try to fight back when I am talking! This will be your end."

After snapping his jaw back into place, Dante replied, "Maybe. But the moment has been prepared for."

"No!" Nel's little voice called.

Nnitoria looked at her and laughed. "You honestly think you stand in the way of me and my victory. Your even more confused than last we met."

Nel's face turned to that of anger. "Nel can fight you!"

Nnitoria laughed and replied, "Good luck with that! In the meantime..."

Nnitoria turned and kicked Dante viscously in the ribs, kicking one after another with sick and fiendish delight, and each one was hurting. Dante grunted with each hit and thought, 'Come on Nel. You can do it!'

Nel watched with anger at Nnitoria and fear for her friend. Dante had done so much to protect her and shown her such kindness. Why couldn't she help him? Why couldn't she fight for him?!

"Dante!" She screamed while clenching her eyes shut. Everyone paused as they felt a massive spirit energy building in Nel before exploding out from her, covering her in pink smoke.

Dante smirked. It worked. And now Nnitoria would have his hands full.

'Connor I think now would be a good time to get this thing off.' Dante thought to Connor looking in his direction.

Connor looked back from the smoke Nel had been covered in and thought, 'You sure?'

'Just do it.' Dante thought, wincing.

Connor quickly said to the girls "I'm going to get Dante healed and that limiter off him. Whatever you do, don't let Nnitoria get to the TARDIS."

Then in speed that shouldn't have been possible with the giant sword he was carrying Connor charged and dived at Dante. Once his hands were around Dante they vanished leaving only Connor's top hat in the sand.

_With Connor and Dante in the TARDIS_

With a slight flash Connor and Dante thudded to the floor in the control room. Dante screamed in pain as Connor lifted him over his shoulder, leaving frost the ground. Connor then blurred down the halls into the infirmary and with a thud, Dante was place in a bed as Connor literally tore open the doors. Clattering on the floor, he saw a bunch of odd machinery which he was puzzeled by, but he decided to just start using the equipment. He placed Dante's arm with the limiter on it in a strange box with only a hole for the wrist to sit through. Slamming his fist down on a button on the top a small progress bar hologram showed. It read above the bar Estimated time remaining: 19:36. With a sigh of relief, Connor sat down on the bed next to him. Either Dante had passed out or was in too much pain to move or even open his eyes. But not dead definitely not dead Connor heard his heart pounding furiously. A rhythmic sound that beat like drums In Connors ears. Almost hypnotizing the sound of the strongest muscle in the body pumping red... juicy... delicious...

'Woah, woah wait I need blood.' Connor thought, his mouth watering. So he opened the cupboard next to him and grabbed out ten or so transfusion bags, sucking them down one after the other building his strength. He looked at the progress bar which now said 7%.  
Connor groaned. this would take forever.

_With the others in the desert_

Nnitoria and the girls were staring at the cloud of smoke that Nel had vanished in, waiting for it to dissipate. When it did, Nel had changed quite a bit. Okay scratch that, she had changed a lot. Her true form was now that of a fully-grown curvaceous and well-endowed adult with long waving greenish-blue hair, retaining similar features to her child form, including the scar and the crimson line that runs across her face, but her bottom canines weren't quite as pronounced. Her gown was now torn into a skirt and a top, connected with a single strip across her abdomen. Her skull mask also differs slightly; its features appearing sharper and less cartoonish with a pair of curved horns, but still missing some of its teeth. also she was now holding a sword in her right hand, which had a green sheath, a light green hilt, and a guard that resemble a pair of crescent moons joined at their back.

Nnitoria sneered and said, "So, you returned to that form Nelliel."

Tier and the others were shocked. nel had just changed into...this? What the hell!?

Nel glared at Nnitoria with pure anger and stood. she told the others, "Stay out of this. He's mine."

"Nel, you can't…" Tier started.

Nel looked back and said, "If you're about to say that he's too strong, don't. He can't beat me."

"Don't talk to Tier like that, she's…" Mila Rose started.

The rest died in her throat as Nel turned her back and the wind blew then, lifting the back of her 'shirt' to reveal a large black 3 tatto. Nel drew her sword and held it ready at her side, looking fierce. Nnitoroa said, "So, you plan to fight me, Nel? Do you know how many years it's been since you left? How much my power has grown since i broke your mask? And how much i enjoyed tearing off the masks of your fraccion? What were their…"

He was cut off as Nel used sonido to get in front of Nnitoria and slashed viciously across his chest, then spun and kicked him in the gut, causing his breath to leave in a whoof, then when he bent over, she thrust her knee up to send his head snapping back. Finally, she shouted and used a blast of spirit energy to send him skidding back. Tier and the girls were shocked. Nel was knocking Nnitoria around like nothing, in her sealed state. Sure, she was the former 3rd Espada, but it was still a shock. Nnitoria got to his feet and felt his anger growing while Nel was tossing him around like nothing? after all this time?! He had grown more powerful then her! He had to be!

"You bitch!" Nnitoria shouted before quickly charging up a cero and firing it at Nel. The girls watched as Nel didn't do anything, simply stand there. as the cero approached, she quickly sheathed her sword and raised her hand at the cero. It stopped as it came in contact with her skin, causing everyone's eyes to widen. Then Nel opened her mouth and breathed in, the cero was sucked in. The second it was sucked in, Nel fired it right back, but it was mixed with violet and combined with hers, the result cero was twice as large! The cero went with such speed, Nnitoria had no chance to dodge and it exploded with enormous force.

Nel watched the explosion roil in the air, then she turned and walked back to the girls, who were still trying to adjust to what they had just seen. Then Tier said, "Um...well done, I guess."

Nel smiled. "Thank you. but i think we can both agree Nnitoria is no great challenge. but it's a honor to meet my successor."

"Your Tier's predecessor?" Appaci asked.

Nel nodded sadly. "I was, until Nnitoria broke my mask and threw me and my fraccion out of Las Nochas. Then…"

She was cut off as they heard the sharp zing of a blade going through the air, and they all whipped around to see a scythe whirling towards them. Nel drew her sword too fast to see and deflected the scythe to the side as the smoke cleared to show Nnitoria. Barely harmed.  
nel's eyes widened a bit and Nnitoria smirked and said, "Are you shocked. cero double. your signature skill, where you absorb your opponents cero and fire it right back at them. But I've grown stronger nel. Too strong for your favorite skill to harm me. now, it's time to kill you all, then kill Dante Price."

_Meanwhile, In the TARDIS_

The progress bar stated 98.72% and at this time Dante's eyes were open and darting around his wounds were healing faster and faster as progress of the limiter was destroyed. Dante started sitting up careful to keep his forearm in the device. He looked down in the floor next to the bed and at the mess of empty transfusion bags as he thought 'I need to get on him more about cleaning up after himself.'

Then suddenly he remembered the situation and called out, "Connor!" No reply. He tried again.

"Connor!" Still nothing. Noth that he expected there to be, not if Connor was where he thought he was.

A small beeping noise was heard as the device said 100% complete. Dante removed his hand from the box and looked at it. the metal was liquefying and receding back into the device,which then snapped open and fell off his wrist. Dante smirked and thought, 'Back in the game!'

Dante rushed up and ran to the control room. He would need to get back to the others fast and if he couldn't use Connor he would have to use the TARDIS.

'Alright Nnitoria...' Dante thought as he threw levers and pressed buttons. '...time for round 2!'  
Then he threw the final lever which threw the TARDIS into the time vortex.

_Back with Nel and the others_

Nel knew they were in a bind, but she might have a plan. She had all of her powers restored, and since Nnitoria had gone into his released state, then that meant that she would need to as well. She didn't know what would happen if she tried to so soon, but they didn't have any choice.

Until…

**_VWOOORP VWOOOORP VWOOOOORP_**

They all froze at that sound and turned. the TARDIS was flickering in and out 30 feet.

**_VWOOORP VWOOOORP VWROOOORP_**

The TARDIS fully materialized and the doors opened to show Dante grinning. He walked out and said, "Did you miss me?"

Nobody reacted for a minute, then Nel cried happily, "DANTE!"

The next thing Dante knew, he was being 'hugged' with his arms pinned to his sides, being squeezed so tight he couldn't get air into his lungs, and a mass of green hair tickling his chin.

Dante managed to cough out, "Nel...can't...breath….spine...being...crushed…"

Tier used sonido to get next to them and said, "Nel, as happy as we all are to see Dante, can you refrain from snapping him in half?"

Nel leaned back and noticed Dante was turning blue, despite his darker skin, and his eyes were starting to roll back in his head while nodding feebly.

"AAHH!" Nel cried and quickly let go of Dante, where he collapsed to the ground and sucked in a breath.

After he took a few breaths, he managed to get to his feet. "Yes, um, nice to see you to Nel. Now, where was I?"

The other girls sonido'd over and Sung-Sun was tempted to hug Dante, but after his near strangulation, she decided to simply ask, "You're all right?"

Dante nodded, getting his breath back. "Never better. Literally."

Nnitoria was shaking with anger now at being ignored and shouted at them, "DON'T YOU IGNORE ME!"

He used sonido to try and get close, but Dante's head snapped around and he vanished in a burst of speed. The girls watched as both combates re-appeared in the middle, Dante smashing his knee into Nnitoria's face and sending him flying backwards where he hit the ground on his back hard.

Dante landed on one leg and hopped a little as he said, "Damn, he really is a hard head."

Nnitoria got up and growled out, "How are you able to keep up with my speed?"

Dante smirked. "Well, as handy as that limiter that Szayel made me was…" He then rolled up his sleeve and showed the now unrestrained Ultramatrix. "...I took it off."

Nnitoria froze at the sight of Dante's unrestrained wrist. Szayel had said, or rather boasted, that Dante would've never be able to remove that limiter, no matter what.

Dante guessed Nnitoria's train of thought and said, "That limiter wasn't bad, but nothing I couldn't deal with. Now… Nel!" He called over his shoulders which made her jump.

"You were planning on going into your released state, weren't you?"

Nel nodded a little shyly as he replied, "Not a good idea. Your mask is still cracked, so your spirit pressure is leaking out. As you are now, your body can handle the decrease, but if you go into released state, you'd go back to child form in…" He looked at the Ultramatrix. "...10 minutes."  
The former Third Espada looked crushed by this. She had her true form back but she couldn't use her released state. Dante noticed this and added, "But don't worry, I have a plan to fix that. But first things first..."

He turned and glared at Nnitoria. "This guy needs a lesson."

Dante blurred again, appearing in two places, grabbing the scythe Nnitoria had thrown, then the one he had lost when Dante had cut off his arm. He reappeared with the scythes in front of the girls, then swung them to bury the blades in the sand.

Nnitoria laughed. "You think you can use my own scythes to beat me?! You're even more nuts then we thought."

Damte just smirked. "No, I just needed these for this guy to use." He then activated the Ultramatrix and twisted the dial. when he found the picture he wanted, he rose his hand and said, "Prepare to face the rider from hell."

He slammed the dial down and after the flash of red light, began the transformation. Dante clenched his stomach and grunted in pain as he felt flames licking at his insides. He had theorized that inside Las Nochas, this spirit would gain more power, but he didn't anticipate this much strength. Dante then started laughing but it wasn't laughter of hilarity, it was maniacal. Dante's head whipped back and everyone saw his skin beginning to burn as he kept laughing, his voice changing and becoming deeper, while he held up and looked at his hands, which were beginning to to burn as well, leaving only the bones, which then clenched into fists.

Tier and the girls found themselves taking a step back in horror at the sight of Dante, as his skull was left completely bare, leaving only the skull, and flames started licking the bone before exploding into an inferno around his head. And when he turned his head, they saw his eyes were gone, leaving only a dim red glow in the center, which sent chills down their spines. Then with a blast of air, the transformation was done. In Dante's place now stood a skeleton, his hands and head wrapped in flames, but his clothes were unburned, if slightly changed. His black hoodie now had a fire design on the back, the colors shifting and blending just like real flames, while the blackness in between was now shifting slightly with gray tones, which sometimes formed to make vaguely human faces, all seemingly screaming in pain.

The new being looked at Nnitoria and pointed a single bony finger at him, then said in a deep growling voice, **"You...Guilty."**

Nnitoria growled before shouted, "Come on then!"

The Rider, for that was the being Dante had become, grabbed both scythes he had buried in the sand and lifted them easily. Then he looked at both and said, **"Let's add a twist."**

Then he roared again, and kept roaring as flames slowly leaked from his hands, then moved along the scythes, covering them as they began to change. The black metal was warping, changing in color from black, to a bleached, bone white, becoming slightly twisted, with cracks that were glowing a deep golden red, like flames imbedded in the material. The blades themselves were becoming more curved, then getting notches on it. When the transformation was done, the Rider was holding what looked like 2 white grim reapers scythes, both glowing in places. The girls were all starting to shake slightly. Dante's spirit energy had changed completely. Instead of the comforting, familiar presence they all knew, they felt fire, anger, hatred, and pain from this being. It had no soul. It had no conscious. It was simply a killing machine.

The Rider and Nnitoria faced off, neither making a move, then the Rider took a step. Then another. One after another, slowly picking up speed going from walking, to jogging, to running, then flat out sprinting at Nnitoria, the roar never stopping. He then swung his blade at Nnitoria which he blocked, but was pushed back slightly by the force. Then Nnitoria tried to return with a slash of his own, but was blocked. After that, it was simply sheer insanity. Neither combatant was trying anything but a simply slice and dice style. Trading blows back and forth, sparks flying when their weapons met, and raising blasts of wind. Sung-Sun and the others were holding up their arms to block the sand flying at them, but Nelleil and Tier were watching intently as the fight picked up.

Nnitoria was getting frustrated. His current 2 scythes couldn't get past Dante's defenses and Dante was keeping up with him no sweat. Time for a trick. Nnitoria slashed with his scythes and knocked Dante's away from his body, leaving it vulnerable, and Nnitoria used his trick. 2 arms shot out from Nnitoria's body and one plunged into his stomach. Nnitoria smiled in triumph, but then paused in confusion. There was...nothing there?

Dante looked down at the hand embedded in his stomach, then looked up. Despite the fact his head was just a skull, everyone got the sense he was grinning evilly. He then lifted his index finger from his scythe and wiggled it while grunting, "Hhmm,Hhmm,Hhmm."

Then he concentrated all the heat in his body on the stomach area, causing intense burns to Nnitoria's hand.

"AAHHH!" The 5th Espada screamed as he pulled his hand from Dante's body, seeing it was blackened and smoking. Dante slammed a fist into Nnitoria's face, sending him flying back and hitting the ground, the outline of Dante's fist bones on his right cheek.

Dante dashed forward and swung his sytche downward at Nnitoria, who rolled to the side before managing to get to his feet and use sonido to put distance between them. He noticed, though, that in his hate, he had left his two remaining scythes behind. Dante noticed this and quickly used his own to slice them in half, then fouths, rendering them useless.

Nnitoria got to his feet and shouted, "Go ahead, break them! I've got plenty more!"

First, from the disjointed arm that had been sliced off earlier on, a white substance shot out, then solidified into a new arm.

Dante noticed this and thought to himself, 'High speed regeneration,' but he noticed the other wounds weren't healing. They must have been to extensive.

Second, several black objects started extending from Nnitoria's wrist, growing longer and longer until they snapped out, showing them to be sytche a just like the ones he lost, making it 6 to Dante's 2.

Dante finally thought, 'Enough. It's time to end this.'

He then shook his scythes and the cracks in them that were glowing started to glow brighter and brighter, then the blades of the scythes started glowing red, turning brighter and brighter until they couldn't take the heat and melted off, revealing blades of white hot fire in the same shape.

He charged forward and swung his sytches at high speed, which caused them to slice clean through despite Nnitoria crossing them to try and defend. Before he could make another move, Dante's left hand let go of his sytche and grabbed Nnitoria throat, then jerked him up so his feet didn't touch the ground. Nnitoria grabbed the arm with his own, but couldn't break out of his grip.

Dante brought him close and said, **"You are evil. You fight for no reason, staining your soul with the blood of the innocent. I will not kill you, but you will know pain."**

He leaned in closer and said in a commanding voice, **"Look into my eyes."**

Nnitoria tried to look away, but was finding himself drawn into Dante's eye, which was glowing brighter and brighter, as well as larger. He seemed to be moving into it and he found himself slowly starting to scream as he was drawn in deeper, finding himself drawn into a vortex of flames. There he saw all his old victims, all screaming as he ended their lives, but he felt everything he did to them. This went on and on until he passed out, and knew no more.

_With Tier and the others_

Tier and the girls watched and heard what Dante said as Sung-Sun asked, "Shoud we...?"

"No." Tier responded flatly. "Dante has a right to finish this how he sees fit. Plus, I'm not 100 percent sure he's in control of himself right now. Let's just watch."

And watch they did. They saw Dante lean in closer and say something to Nnitoria, who stared into Dante's eyes. Then he slowly started screaming, louder and louder until he was screaming in pain at the top of his lungs, as his skin started to burn and crackle, spreading acros is body like frost over ground. After a few minutes, his eye rolled into his head and he went limp, his skin charred in places, even slightly glowing for a minute before that faded. Dante dropped the body to the ground and dropped his other sytche. They both seemed to dissolve into smoke, leaving nothing left but a faint outline.

Dante turned to them then and started walking towards them. They all grabbed their blades as it came closer and closer, stopping right in front of them. It looked over them all, causing them to shiver before saying, **"You...innocent."**

The flames around his head grew smaller and smaller, dying as skin started regrowing all over his body, and his clothes returning to their previous appearance, until he stood before them, completely normal. As soon as he was, he staggered and bent over, panting as he said, "I'm...sorry...for...that."

Sung-Sun hugged him tightly, which he returned, as she asked, "What was that? What was that thing?"

He left the hug and said, "The Ghost Rider. The bounty hunter of the Devil himself, normally sent to hunt down souls escaped from Hell. But it's very clear on good and evil, and it won't harm the innocent."

Nelleil moved to hug Dante as well, which he gaven her, shooting a look at Sung-Sun that said this was just to comfort her. Nel withdrew from the hug after a few seconds and jerked her head towards Nnitoria, asking, "What did it do to him?"

Dante looked behind him at Nnitoria's body, then looked back and said, "The Penance Stare. The Ghost Riders greatest weapons, which forces the victim to feel everything they've done to the innocent."

As Dante talked, none of them noticed Nnitoria's body start to twitch slightly and move.

"The Penance Stare is normally used to kill, but I'm satisfied with just severaly hurting him."

They all respected Dante's choice, but Tier said, "But what now? I feel several intruders spirt pressure, and Aizen will kill us for helping you and injuring Nnitoria as we have."

Dante crossed his arms and looked at the ground. He debated for a minute how much he could and should tell them, then shook his head and said, "I don't like soul society. Never will. But Azien is a threat that I can't ignore in good conscious. If I do, he'll destroy everything. And that's just not an option."

He looked all the girls in in the eye and said, "You don't have to join me, but I for one think that just this once, I'll help soul society in taking down Azien."

They all looked at each other, then the ground, then backed up from Dante.

Mila Rose responded by saying, "We trust you Dante. We owe Azien, but he's crossed a line. We'll all help you."

Dante nodded. "In that case, we'll need to-."

He stopped as his body jerked and they all heard a sickening sound. They all looked at Dante as he looked back, then they all slowly looked down to see a black rod poking from the front of Dante's hoodie, just below his rib cage. He looked back up at them and said, "Oh dear."

Then he fell. Tier quickly grabbed him and lowered him to the ground as his breath started to grow faster. They heard a weak laughing in the distance to see Nnitoria chuckling, laughing from the ground, his arm outstretched before falling to the ground. He said just loud enough for them to hear, "I win..."

Nel's face morphed into one of complete rage and fury. She sonido'od in front of Nnitoria and ripped her sword from it's sheath before swinging, and the chuckling was cut off abruptly, and Nnitoria's head was seen rolling to the side, a shocked look on his face as it stopped a little ways away.

Dante coughed as blood started to leak from his mouth.

"DANTE!" They all cried as they crowded around him. They quickly got off his hoodie and shirt, slicing them off to see the rod had hit about and inch and a half from the bottom rid on the left side.

Dante looked down and said, "Well, this is a problem," before coughing again, blood coming out again.

"I think it may have nicked a lung. We can't remove this without him dying of blood loss." Tier said.

Tier... You know...what this means..." Dante weakly said.

She shook her head. "But you can't! You can't do that now, not after all we've gone through!"

"I'm afraid there's no other choice."

The girls all looked up to see a hole in space, filled with stars. Connor walked out of the void, his mask in place and sounding grim.

Dante raised his head. "Ooh, look who decided to come to the party."

Connor knelt need to them and responded with, "Are you always so chipper before you regenerate?"

Dante just chuckled. "Well, might as well make an impression before you go."

"Can you help him? Can you heal him? And where the hell have you been?" Tier asked.

Connor shook his head. "No,no, and can't tell you that yet. This cloak always needs something special to heal someone, and this time I can't heal."

Dante groaned. "Sorry to rush you, but my kidney's just shut down. I've got minutes before I've got to regenerate."

"What can we do!?" Sung-Sun asked frantically.

Dante grunted. "Got an idea, but first things first..."

He rose both hands and started fiddling with the Ultramatrix, causing the TARDIS to materialize with its classic sound near them.

"...We need to get in there."

Connor and Tier got one arm each under Dante's arm and helped him in, the others getting the door and following them in before closing the door.

**A/N from Jason grace: Well, this is quite the twist isn't it?! Will Dante be forced to regenerate? Will he find a way to prevent it? Where was Connor and what was he doing? Why am I asking all these questions? And what will happen in the next chapter to change everything? Just stay tuned to see!**

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: I must agree with Jason, that was a twist. But the last bit of his A/N was over the top. Any just want to inform my viewers that Jason and I just saw Riddick and I just posted this after seeing it. If you're going to ask, yes I will be doing somewhat of a Riddick crossover but it won't be R+V or Bleach. I'll leave you the readers to guess which fandom it'll cross to. Until next time, this is the lostsoldier signing off. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 **

**A/N from Jason grace: Well readers, time for some twists and turns that will have your heads spinning like wheels on a race car. Enjoy!  
A/N from lostsoldierS636: To my R+V readers I say this; R+V will be taking a bit longer to update but I am not canceling it, or putting it on hiatus. That is all.**

Tier and Connor brought Dante before the console, but he couldn't stand.

"Just put me down."

They did so gently while Dante clutched his side. "Damn it. I have minutes left."

"What can we do?!" Nel asked.

"Hang on a minute. Got an idea." Dante looked at the console and said, "Verbal interface activate!"

There was a beep and next to the console appeared a hologram of Dante, which said in a flat tone, "Verbal interface activated."

Dante groaned. "No, no, give me someone I actually like!"

The hologram flickered before changing into a new person. It was a boy around his age with black hair, green eyes, and wearing an orange t-shirt.

"Oh, guilt! Thanks for that!"

The hologram flickered again and changed to that of a teenage boy as well, but he had brown hair, blue eyes, and thin wire frame glasses.

"Guilt!"

It flickered again and this time changed into a girl, who had short, flat, spikey purple hair, wearing a sweatshirt and had ice blue eyes

"Dying of guilt!"

It shifted to yet another girl, this one having long, waist length hair that was pink, with emerald eyes, and wearing some sort of school uniform.

"Oh for god's sakes, there must be somebody in the multiverse that I haven't screwed up with yet!"

Finally the hologram flickered into a man, Caucasian, wearing a brown tweed jacket with elbow patches, a blue bow tie, braces, black trousers and black, ankle-high boots. The newly formed person said in a British accent, "Voice interface activates."

Dante sighed. "Perfect."

The girls were looking at this hologram in interest as Sung-Sun asked, "Dante... Is that...?"

"My dad, yes. Can't talk right now. Okay, give it to me straight, how deep in trouble am I?" He said to the hologram.

"The object has scraped your lung and caused extensive internal bleeding. You will be dead in 2 minutes 34 seconds." The hologram said in a flat tone.

"So, basically better regenerate is what your saying?" Dante asked as he tried to pull himself straighter.

"Affirmative."

"Right. Absolutely never going to happen. Nel, I'm going to need your help with this."

She knelt next to him and asked, "What do you need?"

Dante pointed a few feet away. "Stand there. The rest of you, you may want to back up."

The others retreated from the platform as Dante forced himself up and staggered to the console. He grabbed the lever that threw them into the time vortex and threw it, causing the sound of the TARDIS to happen. Dante stood back from it and started to reach for the rod in him as his hands started glowing with a golden mist.

"Oh great. It's starting." He said as he grabbed the rod and, with a grimace, pulled it out from him. He cried out and bent over, panting, as he dropped it.

He stood up and looked at Nel. "Okay, Nel be honest. Do you trust me?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Good. Because I don't."

Then he looked at his hands again. They were starting to shoot out more and more of that golden mist, and it was starting to rise from his head as well.

He looked over them all and said, "Well, here goes everything."

Then his arms shot out to his sides and his head shot back as the mist started shooting out like geysers from his arms and head. The girls had to shield their eyes at the sight and they watched as the energy started wandering his body, targeting his wound and worming around it before diving in, sealing it in seconds. Dante started shouting before suddenly pointing an arm at Nel, palm out. The energy started flowing like a river towards her, wrapping around her. She felt the most curious sensation, like every nerve in her body was tingling at once, then going cold, then warming up. She clenched her mid rift and hunched over, eyes clenched shut at the sensory overload. She felt the energy rising to her head and then go into her mask. She felt like it was filling her all the way up, fixing something in her.

Then all at once, the energy disappeared, leaving Dante standing there panting, still the same. The girls watched him in delight that he was still the same as he started patting himself down.

He looked down and said, "Ok. Lets see. Legs, I've still got legs."

He then started patting up and looking around his body, going on.  
"Arms, hands, fingers, lots of fingers."

Touching his face, he went, "Ears, eyes, nose...I've had worse. Chin, hair, still got hair."

He then started rapidly tapping both temples. "Something else, something...important. I'm,I'm,I'm... AH!"

He whirled at the girls and smiled as he said, "That's right!... I'm exhausted."

Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he went limp. Nel used sonido to catch him before he hit the ground while the others crowded around him. Nel frantically asked, "What's wrong with him?"

Connor soothingly said, "Nothing, he's fine. It's the regeneration process. Having that energy overload you like that tires him out afterwards."

Connor then took him from her arms and brought him to the edge of the room, leaning him against the wall to rest.

Tier asked, "What did he do?"

Connor walked back over and leaned over the console, taking some deep breaths to calm down after that spectacle. Then he turned and said, "Good news. He managed to use the regenerative energy to heal himself, but he didn't want to change, obviously. So, after he was done healing, he channeled his energy into something else."

"You mean me." Nel said.

Connor nodded.

"And that's not all. That regenerative energy did a lot more then dissipate when it entered you."

Nel didn't know what he meant, but she did feel different. She felt more grounded, yet lighter. In a word, she felt...whole.

Connor twisted his hand and a mirror appeared out of thin air. He grabbed and held it before Nel's face. She looked in the reelection and gasped. The scar that had gone across her face before was gone, leaving nothing but regular skin. She slowly lifted her hand to feel the area, but nothing felt hand drifted up farther and felt something else as well. He mask was whole again, no rift between it and the missing teeth were back.

She looked at Dante and stuttered, "He...he healed me."

Connor nodded. "He knew that regeneration energy would heal your mask. You can use full power again."

"But I don't understand." Sung-Sun interrupted. "Those people that the hologram showed. Who were they? And what did Dante mean by 'there must be someone in the multiverse that he hasn't screwed up with yet?'"

"I noticed that too." Tier interjected. "What did he mean multiverse? He's grown up in this universe, how can he have screwed up with someone in the multiverse?"

The girls all looked at Connor intently.

"Connor..." Appaci said in a slightly threatening voice.

"Ummm..."

"I can answer that."

Everyone jumped slightly as they heard a female voice from beside them. They all turned to se the hologram of Dante's dad, but then it flickered out. After a second, it was replaced by someone extremely different. It was a woman, looking like she was in her mid 30's, with wild black hair that reached her mid back. Her face was smooth yet slightly pale, from which brown eyes that held an odd twinkle. She was dressed in a slightly ragged blue and white dress that fell all the way to the floor, gathering in a slight bunch at the bottom.

They all stared at her, most of them looking curious, while Connor was shocked. He stuttered, "That's...that's... that's not possible."

The woman cocked her head and said, "Well, me, Dante, and The Doctor all specialize in the impossible, dear Connor."

"Who are you?" Tier asked in a curious and confused tone. The other girls looked like they were feeling the same way.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm...Sexy."

The girls all looked shocked as Tier said, "I'm sorry?"

Connor interviened. "I think they meant something different."

"Did they? Well, true, I guess they don't know that name." She said in a thoughtful tone, looking up while tapping her chin.

Appaci turned to Connor and said, "Alright, spill it! Who the heck is that?"

The woman looked a little startled and said, "No need to be rude. I was getting there. It's hard to keep all these words straight sometimes. So many to choose from."

"Just tell us who you are please." Mila Rose said in a aggravated voice at the woman's behavior.

"Of course. As I was about to say before you interrupted me..." The woman said, looking at Mila Rose in slight annoyance.

"Now, what was I saying? Oh, right my name. Well, I'm the TARDIS."

Well, the reactions were interesting. All the girls were staring at the hologram with their mouths open varies degrees,then, all at once, they went, "EEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH!?"

Connor rubbed his brow. This was going to be painful.

"I am the TARDIS." She repeated to their reactions, not quite sure what had caused them.

Appaci looked at Connor. "EXPLAIN. NOW."

"Would you like the long version, short version, or simple version?" He said.

"Simple."

Connor pointed at the hologram."To put it simply, that is the spirit, the mind of the TARDIS, in human form. But the one thing I don't understand is how you are here." He said, directing this to the TARDIS. "Dante said you weren't designed to do anything like this, since you exist across all of space and time, all at once."

"Well, normally yes, but this universes energy...what was it called again?"

"Spirit energy?" Sung-Sun offered.

"Yes, that. This universes spirit energy had a unique effect on my systems, and, combined with the regenerative energy, makes it so I can direct and project a portion of my conscious through the verbal interface."

Connor smacked his head. "Oh, of course. Spirit energy, energy that spirits give off, who have no real, physical bodies, but bodies that are purely their own soul. Combine that with regeneration energy, which makes and heals things..."

"...and you can make it so the mind of a TARDIS is able to project itself in a place. Yes that's right." The TARDIS finished.

Tier pressed her fingers to her temples to try and keep her head from spinning. After taking a few breaths to calm herself down and straighten her mind out, she said, "Okay, we all have several questions, but I think the most pressing one on all of our minds is this."

She stared sternly at the hologram and said in a clear voice, "What did Dante mean when he said 'there must be...?'"

"Someone in the multiverse I haven't screwed up with yet." The TARDIS interrupted. "We'll that's easy. Dante's from another universe as well."

You couldn't have cut the tension and silence in the room with a sword. The girls were all staring at the TARDIS with wide eyes, open mouths, and still hearts. Sung-Sun then whispered, "What are you talking about?"

The TARDIS looked at her with a said smile and repeated herself.

"Dante is from another universe." Then she turned to Connor and asked, "Was I unclear about what I meant?"

He shook his head slowly, knowing this was about to get really complicated and said, "Nope, you were clear."

"Ah good. Not use to talking. So many languages and words to choose from, meaning something different, can't keep it straight."

Tier interrupted her by saying, "But Dante said he was..."

"...from soul society. And grew up there. With his parents." The TARDIS said at the same time as her.

"Don't do that." They both said. "Stop it. Cut it out!

"Enough!" Connor shouted, getting everyone's attention. He sighed and rubbed his brow.

"There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just go ahead and say it. The story that Dante told you was a lie."

The girls took a minute to comprehend his words and when they did, it was like they were slowly being deflated from shock.

"Dante lied to all of you, and Azien, about who he was and where he came from. Because he couldn't risk having you know who he was."

"Then who is he?" Sung-Sun said quietly. "Who is the person that I fell in love with? Who is the person that fought along side us? Tell us!" She finished with a shout and tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I'll take it from here." The TARDIS told Connor. He waved his hand. "By all means."

She turned to the girls and began her explanation. "Some of what Dante told you was true in an indirect way. He did become a timelord human hybrid, but he wasn't born that way. He became that way by accident."

The TARDIS waved her hand and the room seemed to dissolve into nothing before reforming into some sort of neighborhood at night.

"Don't worry we haven't moved. I'm just beaming the images directly into your minds." The TARDIS said. "Now, if you look over there..." She pointed behind the girls. They all turned to see...

"Dante?" Sung-Sun asked. And indeed it was, but he seemed...different. He didn't seem like the person they knew. A bit shorter maybe, plus not as self assured. Sung-Sun tried to reach out and touch him, but her hand went right through him as he kept walking, not even noticing them at all.

"This is Dante from 700 years ago. Before he became a time lord hybrid. I should be here in a minute."

After a few seconds they heard the sound of the TARDIS materializing. Dante cocked his head and walked forward curiously. The others followed him and looked around the corner to see the TARDIS flickering in and out before landing. They all looked at Dante and he looked shocked as he slowly walked towards the TARDIS, then knocked on the door. Then they all heard someone moving inside and Dante quickly hid around the corner of the TARDIS before it opened. When it did, they heard, "Hello?" As a man stuck his head out.

"That's the same man from the hologram!" Nel exclaimed.

The TARDIS nodded. "Yes, he's my thief, The Doctor."

"Don't ask." Connor interrupted as Appaci opened her mouth.

The Doctor stepped out while looking around and scratching his head. Dante quietly slipped past him and shut the door, causing the Doctor to whirl around and shout, "Oi!" As he saw it was closed. The door clicked, and from the way The Doctor started pushing on it, was locked.

"No,No,No,No,No!" He cried while digging through his pockets for something. He pulled out a key that looked exactly like the one Dante had used on occasion, stuck it in the key hole, opened the TARDIS, and rushed in, the others following behind. It was aqua lighting and the time rotor plus blue markings on the ceiling and above the rotor hexagonal rounders on the lower console level and futuristic markings on the top level. Several tiny lights around the wall if the room in a straight line flashing sections at a time. It featured two screens, what seemed to be a radar on one face, and there were also two additional consoles around the edges the main level amd much darker than the the one they've all seen. Dante was seen standing near the console looking startled at The Doctor's entrance.

"Don't touch that!" The Doctor cried, but something from the console jumped up and latched itself on Dante's wrist, causing his eyes to first widen, then roll into the back of his head as he collapsed. The TARDIS shook violently and The Doctor had quickly thrown a lever, causing it to stabilize while ending the time vortex. He then lifted Dante's wrist, allowing the girls to see the thing that hard latched itself onto Dante was the Ultramatrix.  
Everything started fading again until it was blackness, then it brightened to show they were back in the TARDIS control room as it was at the moment. As they arrived, all the girls staggered slightly at what they had seen.

"That was Dante from 700 years ago?" Mila Rose asked in a unsteady tone.

The TARDIS nodded. "And the night he became a half human, half time lord. The night that changed his entire life."

"This still doesn't make sense." Nel interrupted. "You said Dante is from a different universe, but that looked just like our world."

"Dante was from a parallel universe." The hologram explained. "One that was just like most any other, except for some minor differences. All though..." She added, looking slightly troubled. "Why I was there at all was a mystery to me at the time."

Connor saw they looked confused so he decided to elaborate. "She's able to travel anywhere in space and time, but she's unable to travel between parallel worlds, except for a few different times that I know about. One when it was by accident when The Doctor was working with a small military group by the name of UNIT, and was trying to get the TARDIS to work. The last was when reality itself was about to explode. Don't ask about that last one."

"So, that was a parallel universe?" Tier questioned.

The TARDIS nodded again. "Yes."

Tier rubbed her brow. "And that man, you called him The Doctor?"

Connor replied, "Yes, but don't ask for his real name. Nobody knows it except for a few people and the TARDIS itself."

"Getting off track..." Sung-Sun intervened, "...why were you in that universe if you couldn't go to them?"

"Because we later learned how important Dante was." The TARDIS replied. "Dante is an incredibly unique individual. I know people always say they are each unique, but Dante was so unique, everything was converging on him, all at once. Time and space, everywhere and everywhen was pointing and going to him. The reason I was there was because, we later learned, was because I had to be there."

Everyone looked at Dante, who was still slumped against the wall, breathing in and out gently.

"How is he that important?" Nel asked in awe as they turned back to the hologram.

"Because he knows how to think on his feet, how to reach people no matter how sunk in anger, despair, sadness, and pity they are. He knows how he can change a universes time line for the better, and how he can help an uncountable amount of people. Like you." She said as she looked at them with a slight smile.

They all looked at each other before Appaci asked, "How did he change us? Or our time lines?"

"Dante was able to make you work together, come together, and look after each other. But that was a small change compared to you timeline changes."

She then looked directly at Nel. "You weren't supposed to go into Los Nochas until you met a group of beings outside it, several weeks earlier. Or regain your powers until long after that. And lastly you were never, ever, suposed to have you mask repaired."

Nel was struck by that last statement. She found herself touching her mask without realizing it. She remembered what Dante had said.

_"Bad idea. Your body is still leaking spirit pressure. As it is now, you can handle the decrease, but of you went into released state, you'd turn back to child form in 10 minutes."_

The TARDIS turned back to the fraccion. "You 3 weren't supposed to get along like you do now, and when Azien invaded Karukara Town, you three would almost be killed by... Oh, what was his name... Ah that's right, Captain Commander Yamammoto."

The 3 girls also looked stricken. They were supposed to almost die at the hand of the commander? Then they all thought at the same time, 'If Dante hadnt shown up in our life's...'

The TARDIS then turned to Tier and looked at her sadly and finished, "And you... You were supposed to be cut down by Aizen's own hand. He would call you worthless before slashing you, once across the stomach, then, when you tried to kill him, again through the shoulder from behind, almost killing you."

Tier was now truly shocked as well. Azien, who she had given everything, and entrusted everything to, would have cut her down and call her worthless? After everything?

The TARDIS continued. "Dante lied to you, yes, but you can't blame him for two reasons. The first is that he truly cares for each of you, and he never wanted to put you in danger, so he purposely concealed the truth from you."

They all knew that tone true. Dante had cared for each and everyone of them since he had arrived, despite everything, and he went out of his way to make sure they were safe. Now that they knew more about him, they found themselves truly blessed to have him in their life's.

Tier wiped her eyes since they were starting to water then stated, "You said there were two reasons we couldn't blame Dante for what he did. What was the other?"

The TARDIS sighed. "What you have to understand is that Dante was realitivily young when he left his universe. And the Ultramatrix that he has prevents him from returning to his own universe until it's removed. So he's been unable to return home to see family, friends. He's been unable to return to that in 700 years. Just like my thief."

They all looked at Dante sadly now. He had bared something so hard, yet he never showed it?

"So, in time he came to look to The Doctor as a second father, and he looked to me as a second mother. The Doctor has a number of rules, but the first rule is the one he learned the best."

"Which was?"

The hologram actually smirked a little bit before saying, "The Doctor lies."

They all stared at her before smiling, chuckling, and then laughing at the rule she had just stated, the TARDIS included. After they laughed a little, she said, "Dante will rest for another hour or so. Don't be too hard on him when he wakes up."

"Is that it?" Connor questioned. "Or do you have anymore parting words? Dante said the last time you showed yourself, you gave the doctor and his companions one last comment."

The TARDIS smiled as her body began to glow a soft gold and responded, "True. Very well, my last comment is this. Be prepared for Dante to be wielding a new sword when he wakes up. A sword with a very special name, and power."

And with that, her entire body glowed golden before fading away.

They were all silent for a few minutes before Nel said, "Any idea what she meant?"

Connor replied, "No, but that's the point. We won't know what she meant until it's come to pass." He looked at all of the girls, but Appaci in particular and asked, "Are you mad with us?"

Appaci looked at him for a minute, searching his mask, before socking him between the eyes. He staggered back as she shouted, "OF COURSE I'M MAD WITH YOU! YOU LIED TO US!"

Connor was about to respond angrily before he felt her arms slip around him and pull him close, her head against his chest as she said gently, "But you did it for the right reasons."

He hugged her back and the others watched this until Tier was struck with a thought and panicked.

"Wait, how long have we spent in here? The battles are still happening!"  
Connor released Appaci and said, "True, but don't forget we're in the time vortex. So long as we stay here, we can go back to the battles just as they're starting. Don't worry, we won't miss them."

Tier had forgotten that and her shoulders slumped with relief. Connor then clapped his hands and said, "Well, better rest up in the mean time people, we have one hell of a day ahead of us."

As he said this, nobody noticed a wisp of golden energy escape from Dante's mouth and float down, twisting into a shape just before it faded away.

The shape of a dagger, resting on Dante's hip.

**A/N from Jason grace: We are going and just can't stop! Oh man, that was a great chapter to write, but the next one will be even better, epically when you figure out the new blade that Dane has. And new...companions as well. Here's hoping you like it!**

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: We are on a roll! Again I think I'll put more focus into this story than R+V for now. Besides we're getting to the good parts. See you soon.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: I have dozens of ideas for crossover stories but due to already planned stuff, I have not the time. So I will be issuing these writing challenges on my page so just PM me if you will accept the challenge.**

**A/N from Jason grace: Well readers, we've shown things from Tier and the others point of view, now it's time to see what's happening with Dante. This is when the real fun starts.**

Dante was feeling rather...odd. Now normally he would attribute this to the fact that he had just regenerated and had his body flooded with energy, but to feeling... This was different.

He took a breath of air, then paused. He took another one.

'What the... That doesn't smell like the TARDIS.'

Then he heaved another breath.

'Okay, smells like... Earth.' (Sniff) '21st century, smells smokey, and I also smell hot dogs, garbage, and car smog, so...New York.'

But there was also one more thing, something that he couldn't put his finger on. He was feeling... content?

Dante opened his eyes a crack and was instantly blinded by sunlight. He clenched them shut and tried to sit up. He felt grass under his hand as he did, as well as some twigs. He held his head and thought, 'How did I get here? Last thing I remember I was in the TARDIS regenerating.'

He managed to crack his eyes open and they slowly adjusted. When they did and he looked adjusted, he froze.

"Not possible."

He knew where he was alright. He was sitting near a pond, currently near the waters edge, and over head was a willow tree, the long, dropping branches swaying gently in the wind. On the other side of the pond he could see what looked like paths, sidewalks, as well as a few benches set along the side, resting in the shade of several oak trees lining the path.

Dante scrambled to his feet and looked around, spinning in place as he kept repeating, "Not possible, not possible, not... possible."

This... This was a place he used to go as a kid. He would always lay down right here and look up through the branches, letting his thoughts wander. He then ran out from the spot, noticing paths behind it, and quickly ran down them. He realized if he was in that spot, he was in Central Park. Realizing that, he looked around before running down a path, following his memory, because if he was right, then if he followed this path, he should find...

All of a sudden he was in a clearing, several small hills here and there with no trees, allowing a proper view of the horizon.

The perfect view, of the skyline of New York City.

"What the hell is going on?!" He shouted at the sky. He then gave himself a few minutes before trying to gather his thoughts. Years of traveling with The Doctor had taught him to look for the things that weren't there. First off, it was silent. Except for the sound of the wind and leafs, there was absolutely no sound. No cars, bikes, people, nothing. The City That Never Slept was silent.

"Okay, so not New York, just something that looks like it. It that's the case, where am I, or when am I?"

"You are here, and you are now. Isn't that always the case?" A female voice said behind him.

He whirled around while getting into a battle ready stance. The person behind him was covered in full length cloak, complete with hood that was currently pulled up, casting their face in shadow.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Dante said in a careful tone, never dropping his guard.

"Someone who knows you very well." She replied as she lifted up both hands and flicked back her hood. Dante rose an eyebrow in surprise as he looked at her face.

The first thing that caught his attention were her eyes, which seemed to change color the longer he looked at them, going from green to gray, then blue to brown. The pupil was also slightly slited, like a cats. Her face was round and smooth, as well as tanned, like she spent most of her time outdoors, and was framed by black hair that fell to her chin, the ends dyed... was that TARDIS blue? Yep. It was.

"Sorry, do I know you?"

She chuckled. "No, we've never met, but I know you. Every last thing there is to know about you."

Dante was starting to like this situation less and less.

"Okay, would you mind tell me where we are, because I know that this is not New York City. I would..."

"...Bet my sonic screwdriver on it." She said at the same time as him. He rose an eyebrow.

"How are you...?" They said at the same moment again.

"Why are you...? Okay, then that means... Cut it out!" They kept going. Dante narrowed his eyes and suddenly said, "Sea shells, sea shells, down by the sea shore!" As fast as he could, but she kept pace with him.

"The Doctor, Clara Oswin Oswald, The Master, Daleks, Cybermen, Racacoricalfalpitorius, Percy Jackson, Yokai Academy, Amy Pond!" They kept going, but just as he opened his mouth again, she said. "Moka, Mizore, Tier, Appaci, River Song, Goku, Vegeta, Naruto, Kurama, this could keep going, unless you stopped for a minute and shut up."

Dante closed his mouth and looked at her, slowly walking forward as she did the same. They stopped a foot from each other, Dante looking down slightly as she was two inches shorter. He then slowly asked again, "Who are you?"

She cocked her head slightly and replied with, "Well I could tell you, or..."

And before he could react, she grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled him forward into a searing kiss. Dante was shocked for a minute until he felt her tounge try to enter and he regained his senses. He quickly pushed her off him as he said, "Um, what the heck was that for?"

She smiled. "Hhmm, no particular reason. Other then to make Tier, Sung-Sun and Nel jealous."

Dante would have paled if he wasn't still shocked. Then he demanded, "Ok, give me some answers already! Where am I, who are you, and... What?"

She chuckled while pressing a hand to her mouth. Then she sighed and said, "Well, guess I might as well. You asked where we are. The answer to that is we are in your mind, your landscape. As for who I am, I'm..." As she started to say something, but it came out garbled, making it so Dante didn't catch it.

"Sorry, didn't catch that last bit. What?"

The girl looked disappointed. "So you still can't hear me. Maybe it's because you still haven't accepted my power yet."

Dante rubbed his temples while trying to piece this puzzle together. Thinking out loud, he said, "Ok, so you say we're I'm my mind, my mind scape. I can't hear something you're trying to tell me, so put those together..."

He felt like it was on the tip of his tounge, just barely out of reach. Mind scape, something he couldn't hear yet. One piece was still missing. Where did he know something like this? Where...

Then he paused. Where. Where. Was that it? so he ran through where he was. He was in his mind, his body was in the TARDIS, the TARDIS had been in Los Nochas, and Los Nochas was in the Bleachverse so...

Dante's eyes widened. He staggered back slightly as he arrived at the conclusion and as he stared at the woman, she smirked like she knew what he was thinking. She most certainly did.

"You're..."

"Go on, say it." She pushed him.

"You're a... Zanpakuto spirit!?"

She snapped her finger. "Bingo."

Dante approached her pointing and kept going. "But, then that would mean... How did I not know... There would have been sign... Wait a minute."

Dante cast his mind back to when he had been found by Sung-Sun in the work out room, she had kissed him and he had wanted to reject it, but the reason he hadn't was because he had heard some voice in his head telling him not to.

"Oh stupid!" He said as he slapped his forehead. "Oh, it was right there and I missed it!" He slapped his forehead again.

The girl chuckled again. "Took you long enough to figure that out."

"But, then, when would you have started..."

"After your fight with Luppi." She interrupted him. "Remember, he spears you in the side..."

"Then I healed, but... Oh, of course!" He smacked himself one more time then started talking fast like the doctor did when he was excited. "The spirit energy, the spirit energy remained in my body, then I learned how to manipulate my own, that provided stimulus for you, then I used the Ghost Rider, a spirit, that provided more stimulus, but you would have needed one last push to form completely and a that would have been... The regeneration energy!"

She clapped and complimented, "Well done. And right on all counts. Yes, I was almost fully formed when you fought Nnitoria, but I needed one last push to turn into this." Gesturing at herself.

"And what better opportunity then when my entire body is flooded with regeneration energy, just ready to be put to use making something new?"

"Exactly. And so, here we stand."

Dante looked around and agreed. "And here we stand. I was not expecting this, and that is saying something."

"Oh, I know. But, we have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Like?" Dante tilting his head in curiosity.

The smile on her face disappeared as she looked down and said, "You'll have to meet one other person here as well."

Dante was confused at her change of attitude. "I don't understand."

She looked up sadly. "You should. You were attacked by Luppi, who's an Arrancar. Arrcancar's are hollows who gained their powers by ripping off their masks. If I'm a zanpakuto spirit..."

Then it all clicked into place what she was trying to say.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no."

**"Oh but yes." **

The spirit doubled over in pain as a hand ripped out of her midsection followed by another which proceeded with arms, a head, torso, then finally what stepped out of the spirit was a negative version of Dante with a crazed look in his face.  
And so Dante said the first thing that came to mind.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!"

**"No kidding kingy. What you see before you is very, very real." **The new figure said with a sadistic smirk on it's face.

The new figure then vanished with the sound of sonido. Dante's eyes glazed over in an instant and he ducked forward, dodging the punch before pushing off the ground, spinning in the air, grabbed the hollows arm and wrapped his legs around its neck, yanking himself back to flip over the hollow, pulling its arm as Dante demanded, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

**"Making myself known kingy. Can't have you ignoring me can I?"**

"And I suppose you want to try and take the 'crown'?"

**"Bingo. But not now. I may be instinct, but I'm by no means stupid."**

"Really?" Dante said sarcastically.

**"Really. You have some excellent potential, and it would be a shame to not let you develop it. Plus, taking control now would mean damaging your precious TARDIS."**

"Not buying it. If you're anything like the other hollows, you're planning to screw with my head when I'm in the middle of battle, aren't you?"

**"We'll, I can't tell you everything can I? But I'll leave you be for the moment. See ya around."**

Before Dante could do anything, the hollow glowed before breaking into several white pieces, then they flew back to the other spirit, who was currently lying on the ground in pain, and sank in her cloak, vanishing from sight.

Dante got off the ground and commented, "Well, my instincts can certainly be an asshole."

He went and helped up the spirit. "Are you all right?" He asked in concern.

She nodded stiffly while clutching her stomach. "Fine, just a little hurt."

"I'd expect so, since he ripped his way out of you."

She managed to stand up straight and replied, "We need to hurry. Your friends are most likely worried, and you'll need my power."

"But I still can't hear your name. How am I supposed to recover your power without that?"

She smiled. "You are ready, the problem is you still can't fully grasp this power. Unless..."

She dug through her cloak and held out a dagger handle, which had gold wiring wrapped around the hilt.

"You still need to be able to grasp this."

Dante looked at the dagger hilt and slowly reached out for it. But just as he tried to grasp it, his hand slipped through. He tried again, but it didn't work. Like the hilt simply wasn't there.

"What gives!?"

"I said you aren't ready to grasp my power."

"Then why are you offering me this if I'm not ready?" Dante snapped, getting tired of these riddles.

'Now I know how people feel when The Doctor does this.' He thought.

"Because you're close enough for me to offer this. But something is saying you aren't ready to grasp it. Ask yourself this though. If I'm offering this to you, yet you aren't ready for it, ask yourself... Why not?"

This was starting to feel familiar. Being offered something despite apparently not being ready. What was this similar to?

Then it hit him, and as the answer presented itself to him, he smirked.

"Because I decided I'm not ready. The one who decides when I'm ready is me."

The smile on her face told him he was right. Dante took a deep breath and looked at the dagger hilt. He knew why he wasn't ready. He was too nervous to accept this power, because he had so much already.

'But I need this power. Otherwise defeating Azien will be so much harder.'

He reached out and this time grasped the dagger hilt.

The girl smiled one last time and said, "Well done. Now, take you powers, and with them, my name. And my name is..."

_TARDIS, one hour later_

Tier and the girls have been resting in the control room, never leaving it due to the fact they wanted to keep an eye on Dante. Connor had left some time ago to check something, but he said he would be back before the hour was up.  
Connor walked back in the room and asked, "Still no change?"

Appaci shook her head. Connor walked to Dante and placed his palm on his forehead, trying to see what was wrong.

"I don't feel anything wrong with... Wait a minute."

"What? What is it?" Tier asked.

"This is weird. His mind is active, as active as it would be if he was awake. And there's something else, something that's... Growing."

Dante's body suddenly arched forward as he grunted, then he slid down to the floor still grunting.

"What's happening!?" Sung-Sun shouted.

"I don't know." Connor replied as he back away. "But something is coming."

Dante grunted one last time and then his mouth opened and he breathed out golden regeneration energy. But this wasn't a small puff, this was a very large amount.

"Is that normal?" Nel asked.

"He'll breath out energy from time to time, but never this much. What's going on?"

The golden regeneration energy swirled in the air like a whirlpool, surrounding Dante like a vortex, then it collapsed into a ball, sparkling and shimmering. Then it slowly grew larger, gaining an shape, the outline of a dagger. The energy lost its glow slowly, showing Dante's new blade. His new...

"Is that a zanpakuto!?" Sung-Sun shouted pointing at the dagger.

The dagger was emanating a light blue color and what looked like smoke or frost was flowing from the tip of it. It looked curved and extremely sharp, not to mention near the hilt jutted out two curved bits. At end of the blade, where the hilt met it, was a small circular shape that looked like a button. The hilt itself was made of glass and inside was a glowing substance that kept twisting and turning changing shape and size.

The dagger floated down and rested next to Dante, who's eyes snapped open. He pulled his legs back before jumping up, saying, "Oh, man. That was intense."

He girls were all looking at him in shock as he cracked his neck and stretched, then Tier said, "Dante."

He turned and smiled wide, then walked like he meant to give her a hug while saying, "Tier!"

_SLAP!_

Dante staggered back as tier slapped him across the face. Dante was holding his face when he spotted Nel and tried the same thing.

"Nel!"

_SLAP!_

Dante was sent staggering once again and turned to see...

"Sung-Sun?"

_SLAP!_

Dante was sent spinning from the force of tht last one, facing Connor, who was currently trying not to laugh, unsuccessfully. Appaci and Mila Rose were the same way as Dante turned back to the 3 girls who had slapped him, rose his finger and uttered one word.

"Ow."

"You completely deserved that!" Sung-Sung shouted at him. She was happy that he was awake, but at the moment her anger for Dante deceiving them was in the drivers seat.

Dante guessed what had happened and glanced at Connor.

"You told them I take it?"

"Pieces. Most of it was told by her." He pointed at the TARDIS console.

"What?" Dante said confused as he looked where Connor was pointing. It took a couple minutes time for them to explain, but Dante accepted it and was completely fascinated by what had allowed the TARDIS to speak with them.  
When they were finished, he said, "Well, I'm going to have to remember that."

Then he turned to the others and said,"So, you know everything there is to know."

Tier nodded. "Yes. And though I think I speak for all of us when I say I want to slap you again..." Nods all around from the girls. "...we know you did it for the right reasons."

Dante smiled. "I'm glad you understand. And now..." Dante looked at the dagger that had come from him, holding his hand out palm up. The blade glowed slightly brighter before lifting and flying towards him, letting him snatch it out of the air.

"...I'd like to introduce you to my new blade."

"Nice." Connor said looking it over.

"How the heck did you get that anyway!?" Appaci demanded pointing at his dagger.

Dante smirked and started explaining what had happened while he was 'asleep', but he left out the hollow. He wasn't ready to share that bit just yet. They all stared at him in shock, then the dagger, then back again.

"That's incredible. You gained a zanpakuto simply because you were speared in the side." Tier said.

"Over simplification, but basically yes. And I was just as surprised as you."

"So what's the name of your sword anyway?" Appaci asked.  
Dante hesitated slightly, but he saw no reason not to tell them.

"Her name is Astrid."

"Her?" Sung-Sun asked in a dangerously sweet voice.

Dante gulped. He had a feeling this would not end well for him. But then Connor interrupted.

"Ok, as much as I would love to see Dante get the crap beaten out of him again, we have more important things to do."

Sung-Sun squinted at Dante, but relented and said, "Fine. But we are talking about this later."

Dante didn't know whether to be relieved or scared at the way she said that. But he decided to think about it later and went to the control panel and started pulling levers and flipping switches.

Time to start round two of the battle of Los Nochas.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

The TARDIS materilized on the roof of Tier's palace and everyone stepped out, Dante wearing a new shirt and a red and black hoodie, Astrid resting on his hip in a sheath.

"Okay Dante, what's the plan?" Connor asked. He too was now wearing a hoodie but an odd one. It was completely black except he had a giant skull spaulder on each shoulder. His mask reformed and now the mouth was closed and the crying eyes turned to that if anger with purple flame patterns around them.

"We'll, first things first..." Dante pulled out his sonic screwdriver and fiddled with it a little bit, pointed it in the air. "...let's cause some chaos."

He flicked it on and it's whir sounded louder than normal as it ran, and instead of the normal green, it was glowing red.

_Los Nochas control room_

The fraccion of Szayel were sitting in chairs, typing away rapidly and keeping eyes on battles currently happening, as well as manipulating the hallways to keep the intruders busy.

Then one of them noticed that his screen had started going fuzzy. He tapped it, but the only change that happened was it going static. But he fun didn't end there. Like dominos, the screen all around the room started going static, one after another, causing everyone to shout in confusion.

"What's going on?" One shouted above the din.

Another was typing rapidly, but was getting no response. He checked another screen, which showed the state of the system, and saw everything was flashing red.

"The grid's crashed!"

"Activate the backup drives!"

Someone tried to activate them, but nothing happened.

"The back ups are fried too! Nothing's working!"

One of the screens cleared to show the words: **Never underestimate time lord technology.**

_Back with Dante and the others_

"HA!" Dante laughed as he deactivated the screwdriver and looked at it in satisfaction.

"What did you do?" Appaci asked nervously.

"Oh nothing. Just completely fried the entire Los Nochas network."

"What!? How!?"

"Long story. But I've got one more thing I want to do."

Dante activated the screwdriver again, this time green setting, tapped the crystal and said into it, "Hello? Is this on? If it is then HELLO LOS NOCHAS!" He announced, his voice echoing through the entire base.

Szayel snapped hs head up. How was Dante alive? Nnitoria should've been able to kill him easily with that limiter on.

Baraggan snarled. So Dante was alive, and from the sound of it, as annoying as ever.

Starrk snorted awake from the massive voice echoing through Los Nochas.

Loly and Menoly, who were both heading for origins room, looked confused as to why Dante's voice was being broadcasted.

In the throne room, Azien simply smiled.

"Most of you thought I'd be dead by now but I'm back in the game! By now the fraccion of the 8th Espada would be scrambling around trying to find out what's wrong with the system. Let me save you the trouble by saying that I fried the system entirely, meaning everything from records, recordings, video cams, hell I was pretty sure I saw one of them playing Galaga one time, are all gone."

Szayel's face twisted to one of shock and anguish. Dante had crashed his system?!

"I also wanted to announce that me and my associates which include the former and current 3rd Espada and her fraccion have declared war on Los Nochas. So if any of you, from the Aizen fan girls to old man Barragan, want a piece of me...then come and get me."

"For those of you who don't know me, I'm Dante Price, an ally. I am someone that exposes the only casualty in war. The truth. The truth that once after you've invaded Kakhura Town, Aizen will betray you and destroy you all. Fortunately, I plan ahead. Connor. Let them loose."

"Gladly." Connor said as he snapped his fingers causing his tattoo to flare in light visible thought the black of his hoodie.

Throughout Los Nochas, several voids opened and from those voids stepped some familiar faces.

Kenpachi, smiling like a madman, his sword at the ready.

Byukuga, looking as impassive as ever.

Maruyi, aka Chuckles, was grinning like the manic he was, while his 'daughter', Nemu, was standing behind him.

Unhonna and her lieutenant, the former looking calm while the other was nervous.

The girls felt the instant spirit it energy and looked at Connor and Dante wide eyed. How far ahead had they been thinking?! At least now they knew where

Connor had disappeared to.

Dante smirked. "Well, I think it's time to get this show on the road. Oh, and Azien."

Azien rose an eyebrow as Dante said, "Enjoy the last few hours of your life."

His grip tightened on his screwdriver as he went on.

"You tried to kill me. You tried to force Tier and the others to do your will. You're willing to sacrifice hundreds of people for your own selfish needs. But these were all minor compared to one thing, just one. You think you can outsmart me? Think again. You did something very bad, the thing you never do. You tried to pull a trap, and if there's one thing that you never put in a trap, not if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans of seeing tomorrow, then there is one thing that you must never, ever put in a trap. Me."

And with that, Dante deactivated his sonic. "We'll need to move fast. I'm sensing several spirit energies that are weak. Tier, I'll need you and the girls help for this."

"You can count on us." Tier said simply, the others nodding.

"Ok, Sung-Sun. I need you to get Orihime. You know where she is, but Loly and Menoly will try to stop you. Don't let them, but don't kill them either."

"Appaci, Mila Rose. I need you two to get three people. Appaci, head for the shinigami pressure, you'll find a small girl with black hair and white sword. Bring her back here. Mila Rose, you'll need to grab two people. You need to grab Ganten, as well as his opponent. He's Mexican descent, black hair, flower shirt. Impossible to miss him."

"Tier, you have a harder task. I need you to keep Ulquorria busy, he's currently about to fight Ichigo. Don't let him. Take the fight outside of Los Nochas, then give him hell, but don't kill him."

"What about me?" Nel asked.

"You and I are going to go fight Szayel. From the feel of it, the two he's fighting need some help."

"Once all of you have who I sent you for, get them back here. Connor, stay here and help heal them, the TARDIS sick bay will provide what you need, as well as some accelerated healing tech. Don't worry, it's easy to use."

"All clear?" He asked and receiving nods all around, he smirked and said,

"Then lets give Azien hell. Go!"

They all vanished in a burst of speed, Connor heading back to the TARDIS while everyone else went to carry out their assigned tasks.

_With Orihime_

Orihime was feeling very confused now, which nobody could blame her for. She had been having an head spinning day. First, Ulquorria had come to tell her that her friends had come to save her. She'd then sensed Rukia, then Chad's spirit energy both drop dangerously low. She'd even felt Dante's disappear, reappear, then drop and disappear completely. Now she was hearing Dante announce that he had fried the system, had managed to turn some Arrancar against Azien, and she had noticed that Dante's spirit energy seemed much larger than it did before.

She heard a knock at the door and it opened to show a girl that looked about her age, but dressed in white clothing, showing her to be on Azien's side.

"Orihime."

She shrunk back slightly and the girl stepped into the room.

"It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. Dante sent me to get you out of here."

"Dante sent you?" Orihime perked up slightly, but was still understandably cautious.

"What are you doing here Sung-Sun?"

Sung-Sun turned to see Dante had been right, again. Loly and Menoly were here, and from the looks of it, neither one happy.

Sung-Sun glared at them. "None of your business Loly."

She snarled. "If you're betraying Azien, then yes it is. Especially since you betrayed us for the human."

Sung-Sun vanished in a second and reappeared smashing her fist into Loly's face, sending her flying back until she hit the wall.

"Loly!" Menoly cried and running to her side.

"Insult Dante again and I will do much worse." Sung-Sun said in a hard voice.

"Dante is far better than you know, and Azien has lost all hold on me."

Loly sat up and spat out, "You will pay for this betrayal you whore! Master Azien will make sure of that!"

"I'd like to see him try."

Sung-Sun spun around and went to Orihime.

"We should leave. More will be coming." She said as she gently grabbed Orihime's upper arm. Before she could voice her doubts, Orihime and Sung-Sun both vanished in a blur of sonido. Loly then screamed with rage.

_With Dante and Nel_

Dante was running through the hallways with Nel, who was leading the way since she could sense spirit energy locations more accurate than he could. On the upside, since the halls could no longer be changed, they only had to run for a few minutes before Nel stopped dead.

"They're right below us."

"Then lets get the drop on Szayel." Dante replied as he activated and twisted the dial of the Ultramatrix, twisting it to one of his strength enhancing powers. He activated it, and after the rush of power faded, clenched his fist, pulled back, and punched, causing the floor to crack like a spider web before caving in, taking Nel and Dante with it.

Below them, a battle had been taking place. Szayel had been fighting two opponents, though fighting would imply he was doing something. When his first opponent, Renji, had arrived, along with Nel's brother Don, who had accompanied him, he had tried to go into bankai, but Szayel had modified the room they were in so he couldn't, so Renji had been forced to try and fight using shikai, but it wasn't strong enough to damage him. Getting bored after awhile, Szayel had called some of his fraccion and had them fight Renji. Uryu showed up later and tried to fight, but Szayel had ended up sealing his spirit weapons, placing them both in a bad spot.

They all heard a sharp crack and a trickle of dust fell from the ceiling, causing everyone to look up. There was a spider web crack above before the ceiling collapsed where it had crack. Through it fell two people, one was a woman with long green hair, the other a teenager who was wearing a black hoodie.

They both landed lightly on the ground as the teen said, "Sorry for dropping in unannounced, but I have a bone to pick with you."

Then he looked over his shoulder and waved to Uryu and Renji.

"Hey, I'm Dante Price. Nice to meet you guys."

They both shook off their shock and introduced themselves. Then Renji commented, "Heard you over the loudspeakers. You sure like making an impression."

"Well, we can't all be as subtle as you Renji. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to keep anything intact."

He was about to retaliate but Don cried, "Dante!"

Don then then noticed Nel and immediately bowed, saying in a respectful tone, "Mistress Nel."

She smiled. "Hello Dondochakka. Thank you for taking care of me for all these years." She noticed someone was missing and asked, "Where's Pesche?"

"He went with the others."

Szayel was shaking with rage as he glared at Dante, who noticed this. He smirked and said, "Hey, Szayel, what's wrong? You not happy to see us?"

"No. I can't say I am." He said through clenched teeth. "So you returned to your true form Nel?"

"With a little help from me. Gotta love the tricks time lords had." Dante said with another smirk. He then pulled out his sonic. "Like this."

He proceeded to point it downwards and activated it, the sonic whirring until it was interrupted by an explosion, followed by a fair amount of shaking.

Nel sighed. "What did you do now Dante?"

"I am offended that you immediately think I did that." He said in a mock hurt voice. "But you're right, that was my doing."

Renji and Uryu both sweat dropped at Dante's behavior.

"Hey, Szayel, how much did you love your lab?"

He froze in horror.

"You didn't."

"I did."

Szayel started shaking so much, one would think he was having a mental breakdown, and they would be right.

"You destroyed my lab!? How!?"

"Oh it was simple." Dante replied, not noticing how Renji and Uryu were starting to look very nervous, as well as Szayel's fraccion.

"All I did was connect to the bombs you planted around your lab in case any experiments went wrong and needed to be destroyed, and triggered them. A toddler could've done it."

Szayel finally snapped. He ripped his sword from its sheath and growled at Dante, "You've been a thorn in our sides long enough, Dante. It's time to send you to hell."

"Been there, done that. Can't you guys come up with something original for a change?" He replied in a bored tone.

"Try this for original." Szayel responded with a smirk, raising his sword blade down.

"Sip, Fornicarás." He spoke before plunging the sword down his throat. His body began swelling up like a balloon, a mist starting to seep thickly from him and cover his form. Hs spirit energy started to slowly rise as well.

When it cleared, Szayel was in his released state. In his released form, the lower half of his body had become a multitude of purple tentacles reminiscent of a sea anemone. His feet extended from under the tentacles, which were replaced by a layered dress-like garment. His upper torso had become a segmented and form-fitting gray garment, with white sleeves extending from the elbow and down to a wide opening at the wrist that reveal a purple interior. Three small, dark purple extensions spanned upward from the elbow, while four long, dark purple strands that look like falling drops hang from the underside of the sleeve itself. His hands turned white, and his fingertips become slightly elongated and purple. His hair gained various purple drop-like strands as well. His Hollow mask had taken the form of a headdress that formed a thin band across his forehead, as well as what appeared to be half the bottom structure of his Hollow mask "glasses", which was attached on either side of his head by fan-like coverings. His left eye now had purple markings that took the shape of four lines on the top and bottom. Last but not least, he also grew four large, gray branch structures on his back, two on each side, which form a shape similar to the wings of a butterfly. Each branch had twelve equally-spaced red strands that resembled falling drops.

Szayel breathed in and then said in a sickening, breathless voice, "Now Dante, it's time for you to experience hell."

Dante just tilted his head. "You know, I don't think it is. I think it's time to, and I'm borrowing this line from a friend of mine, 'know your place'."

Nel drew her sword while Dante put a hand to his dagger, both ready for this fight to begin.

_Back at the TARDIS_

Mila Rose and Appaci were both retrieving the persons they had been sent to collect and both meet outside the TARDIS, Appaci holding a short petite woman whose sword was in a sheath on her hip, Mila Rose holding both Ganten and the large Mexican man that Dante had described.

"She managed to beat Aaroniero!?" Mila Rose said in surprise.

"Shocked me too." Appaci admitted as she knocked on the TARDIS with one hand. "But she was lying next to his corpse with his heads out of their jar. Looked like she brought him down with her."

It was true. As she looked, Mila Rose could see several wounds that looked like they went deep inside through her upper chest. It was a miracle she wasn't dead already.

The door opened and Connor stuck his head out to see them.

"Good you got them. How bad are they?" He asked as he let them in and they headed to the infirmary.

"Ganten and this guy aren't too bad." Mila Rose shirted to indicate the two guys she had over her shoulders. "But she's in trouble. I hope Dante's technology can heal them."

"It could stop people from dying for a 7,000 feet fall for a time. This should be no trouble."

The walked in and settled them down on beds, Connor grabbing what appeared in the cabinets beside them as he asked, "What's going on out there anyways?"

"Dante and Nel are fighting Szayel, he went into his released state from what we felt. Mistress Tier seemed to have arrived at Ulquorria's position before we got in here." Apacci explained.

Mila Rose snorted. "She won't have any trouble with him. She's third, he's only fourth."

"Never underestimate your enemies." Connor warned them as he started healing the injured with the tech he had grabbed from the cabinets. "Nnitoria and Szayel both managed to get Nel by outsmarting her, and Ulquorria strikes me as having tricks up his sleeves." He sighed and added silently to himself, "I wish I could be fighting but it's Dante's plan."

They both crossed their arms and looked down. He was right, buts that didn't mean they had to like it.

Then they heard another knock at the door of the the TARDIS as it echoed.

"That must be Sung-Sun." Connor walked to let her him.

_Elsewhere, same time_

Ichigo Kurosaki had his sword drawn and was ready to attack Ulquorria, who was currently standing a few yards from him. Ichigo, like Orihime, had been having a confusing last few minutes, what with Dante Price seemingly hijacking some sort of announcement system to broadcast to Los Nochas, and this was after he felt Rukia's and Chad's spirit energy drop. He then ran into Ulquorria, who he was ready to just push past, until he revealed that he was the one who had forced Orihime to come here. Now Ichigo wanted nothIng more than to cut him down.

Just when he was about to charge, someone blurred into existence between them. He could tell from the back it was a woman with 3 braids in her hair, as well as a sword across her back. He instantly felt from her spirit energy she was an Arrancar, and a strong one at that.

Ulquorria nearly stared at the new arrival as he said, in his normal bland voice, "So, you decided to betray us Tier."

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise. Was this woman one of the Espada? And if so, why was she betraying them?

"I never suspected that you would succumb to worthless human emotions."

"That's where you are wrong Ulquorria. These emotions are far from worthless. Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo jumped slightly as she addressed him.

"You need to leave. I'll be the one fighting him." She stated as she drew her sword in its typical fashion.

He shook his head angrily.

"No way. He's the one that forced Inoue to come here. He's mine."

Tier looked over her shoulder quickly to see anger and determination in his eyes. Though useful in some situations, Ulquorria would easily manipulate him so he would attack recklessly in his current state.

"You aren't strong enough to fight him yet, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Said boy gritted his teeth. He had just been about to attack, but now this woman showed up out of nowhere and said he wasn't strong enough?

"Besides, I think you might want to go check on Orihime Inoue. Dante has seen to it she's safe for the time being."

He felt his heart freeze. He then instantly let his senses expand to their limit and felt her spirit energy. It had moved, but now it felt like it was mixing with several other beings.

"So, it's come to this." Ulquorria stated as he drew his sword. "You of all people should know the price of disloyalty to Master Azien, Tier."

Tier turned back to him and stated, "You should know I no longer care Ulquorria. I've made my choice, and I don't regret it, nor will I ever."

Ichigo was beyond lost now, so Tier said, without turning around, "That orb that Dante left you, it will lead you to Orihime. I suggest you leave quickly."

He could feel the tension in the room building rapidly, so he decided to leave for the time being. He turned around and left using flash step.

"There is nothing left to say to you." Ulquorria stated.

"I agree. Words have lost all meaning now." Tier responded. They faced off for a few more seconds, then both vanished only to clash in the middle, swords locked in battle.

Ichgio was using flash step and drew out the communications orb that Dante had apparently left for him. The red light that indicated his destination had shifted from its previous point. According to this, now it was much higher.  
He then heard the tell tale sound of sonido behind him, along with the whistle of a sword coming through the air.

He whirled around, his sword whistling before it collided with a clang which rose a blast of wind. Ichigo then spotted the one who attacked him and snarled, "You."

"Me." Grimmjow replied with his normal grin in place. He swept out a kick but Ichigo leapt back.

"What do you want Grimmjow?"

"What do you think?" He responded, his smile turning slightly angry. "I want to settle the score between us. We kept getting interrupted and if there's one thing I hate, it's not finishing my fights."

Ichigo growled. He wanted to check on Orihime, but he knew Grimmjow wouldn't let him get away. Besides, truth be told, he wanted to settle this as well. So Ichigo nodded and replied, "Fine. I'll show the fruits..."

He looked up, holding out his sword in one hand.

"...Of my training! Bankai!"

_With Dante and Nel_

Dante and the others instantly felt the increase on spirit energy.

He whipped his head around at the increase.

'What is he doing!?'

Then he felt another spirit energy clash with Ichigo's. ts one belonged to...  
'Damn Grimmjow! Damn battle junkies!'

Szayel noticed the instant lapse and said, "It's a big error to not pay attention to an opponent in a battle."

Dante looked back. "An excellent point, but battle implies that both sides have an equal chance of winning."

"So it does." Szayel replied in a light tone. "And you have no chance of winning."

Szayel rose his arms and a black liquid shot from his back, going high into the air until it fell towards them.

"Don't let that liquid touch you!" Dante cried, instantly using his speed and experience to dodge every drop. Nel used sonido to dodge, going behind Szayel directly into his fraccion, since he hadn't released any in their direction. When she appeared, they all panicked and retreated from her.

The others weren't fast enough and the liquid ended up on them. The second it hit, the liquid started growing and changing. Before they knew it, there were at least 30 copies of Renji, Uryu, and Don. The only difference between any of them was the clones eyes were white, with black markings around them.

Dante looked at them with interest. "Hhmm, that's new. Let see, simple appearance copies?" He guessed before pulling out his sonic and scanning them. "No, these are actual carbon copies. You can control them like puppets, but they can also act on orders, while at the same time, they have all the strength and abilities of the things they copy. Impressive." He admitted.

"Thank you." Szayel said. "It's a shame though. I was hoping to copy you or Nel, since you're the only two that would make this interesting."

Dante shrugged as he grabbed his dagger. "True enough. Let me show you something that might catch you interest."

Dante drew his blade, but unlike earlier, it wasn't glowing, nor was the substance nor the glass moving. But then Dante spoke the release command.

"Turn back the clock, Astrid."

The blade instantly came to life, glowing with its soft light as the substance and glass came to life again, flowing smoothly.

Szayel looked shocked, as did everyone except Nel.

"How did you...?" Szayel started to ask.

"Spoilers." Dante said with a grin, thinking of a certain someone who loved to say the exact same thing. But then his smile faded as he grew serious. "Renji, I deactivated the lock on your bankai. Can you please activate it?"  
Renji grinned widely. "About damn time! Ban...!"

As Renji got into his stance, all of the other clones did as well and they all cried, "Ban...!"

"...Kai!"

"...Kai!"

There was a string of massive explosions of energy, all of them combined causing the room they were in to crumble, as well as a decent chunk of the building.

When the smoke cleared, Renji and the clones were all in Bankai. They now had a pink fur covering their shoulders, but that was a small notice compared to the new weapon they all had. Coles around them was a skeletal snake like creature, but its skull was a cross between a snake and baboon, with a mane of bright red hair around its head, and the body was segmented, with spikes running down the back of it. Everyone else was fine, having dodged the debris with ease, except for Don. Dante had to drag him behind in order to make sure he wasn't crushed below.

Dante set Don down and looked around. All the clones had survived, as well as a fair number of Szayel's fraccion who were digging themselves out of the rubble.

"Dante, are you sure that was a good idea?" Nel asked nervously.

"Yes. Nel, can you memorize the position of each of Szayel's fraccion right now?"

She glanced over them quickly. "I just did."

"Good." Dante replied, quickly looking around and memorizing the position of each of the Renji clones.

"Ok, Nel I need you to come here."

She quickly used sonido to appear beside him and he held out his dagger, blade down.

"Grab onto the hilt."

She was confused, but she slowly did so, as Szayel laughed. "Whatever plan you have Dante, it won't work! You can't keep up with my mind!"

Dante smirked. "But what if we knew what you would do, before you did?"  
He then lifted his thumb and pressed down the button on the side of the hilt with a click.

The sands in it suddenly exploded outwards, wrapping around Dante and Nel, then what happened was almost too weird to describe.

Time began to flow in reverse. Dante and Nel were floating like spirits while looking around and seeing themselves walk back to their own places.

"What's going on?!" Nel shouted over a wind that was somehow accompanying them.

"It's Astrid's power!" Dante cried back. "She's taking us back one minute into the past. You and I will know what's coming. Once we stop, I need you to take out Szayel's fraccion. I'll take the clones."

"But Szayel..."

"Will be the Szayel from one minute ago. He won't know what we're planning. Just do it!" He shouted as they were both yanked apart, both of them floating backwards until they both merged with their bodies from one minute ago.

Nel jerked and started breathing heavily from what she had just seen. Dante shook his head. Then he said, "Renji, I deactivated the lock on your Bankai. Activate it please."

Nel was having an extremely bad case of déjà vu now as Renji grinned and did the exact same thing he did one minute ago, going into Bankai while the clones did the same thing. Suddenly, Nel knew why she had been asked to memorize the position of Szayel's fraccion. She knew where they would be before they would. There would be no chance to dodge at all. It would be exactly the same for Dante with the clones.

'If he can use that ability in battle, it would be unbeatable!' She thought.

Dante and Nel went into action before the smoke fully cleared. Dante dropped Don and instantly used his speed to get behind every single clone of Renji, slicing their heads off with practiced and experienced ease. As he did, each body collapsed into a puddle of black sludge.

Nel took a less terminal route with Szayel's fraccion, simply using her sheathed sword or fists to knock them out before they could hope to react. When the smoke was fully cleared, Dante and Nel were standing a fair ways away, surrounded by either puddles of sludge or unconscious fraccion.

"What!?" Szayel yelled at the sight. Renji and Uryu both looked shocked as well. Though they could sense spirit energy, they wouldn't be able to feel it that quick to act before the smoke cleared.

Dante grinned.

"Just call us psychic."

Szayel snarled. How had Dante done that?! He knew the location of every clone before even he did. And Nel had rendered his fraccion unable to fight.

"Looks like you're running out of options Szayel." Dante noted as he flipped his dagger so the blade was pointing towards his elbow.

Szayel gritted his teeth before shouting, "Attack!" At the Uryu and Don clones. The Don clones reached into their mouths before pulling out a large black club with spikes. The Uryu clones made bows of light that almost looked like spider webs and pulled back.

"Duck!" Dante shouted as the Uryu clones fired arrows of light at the defenders. Nel, Dante, and Uryu all dodged using various speed moves while Renji blocked using his snake as a shield, also protecting Don.

Dante thought quickly. The Uryu clones would be able to fire a massive amount of arrows all at once. If they did, none of them would be able to dodge. The only chance he had would be if he could damage Szayel enough that he would lose concentration and the clones would disperse.

'Connor! I need that gun you grabbed earlier!' He thought fiercely.

'Coming right up!'

Dante got behind Renji's Bankai, which was started to tremble from all the hits it was taking. Renji grunted and asked, "Please tell me you have a plan."

"A bad one, but it might work." Dante replied. He felt Connor concentrating and a small hole in space opened to show Connor in the hole.

"About time!" Dante snapped as he stuck his hand through the hole.

"Hey, you know how hard this is to do!" Connor snapped back as he smacked the small gun he grabbed earlier into Dante's hand.

"Whatever. Did Orihime and the others get back ok?"

"Yeah. How's the fighting going?"

They heard an explosion and Dante glanced over the edge of Renji's Bankai to see Nel had fired a cero, taking out a good number of Szayel's clones of Don, but only a few Uryu clones.

"Badly, talk later, bye!" He said in a rushed voice and the hole closed, fixing itself back up.

Dante used his speed to get behind Szayel, pointing the gun at his back.  
Szayel heard Dante behind him and looked over his shoulder. He looked at the gun in Dante's hand for a few seconds, then burst out laughing, drawing everyone's attention and causing the clones to temporarily stop shooting.

"You plan to injure me with such a pathetic weapon Dante? I guess you really are mad."

"Why, Szayel, have you never heard the saying?" Dante replied lightly, while bracing his feet. "Big things come in small packages."

He pulled the trigger.

There was no flash of light, but there was a massive boom and Dante was sent flying back like he and been kicked in the chest while Szayel screamed in agony. One of his wings had been blasted clean off, causing blood to gush from the stump. He was in such pain he lost his concentration needed to maintain any of the clones as they all turned to black sludge and collapsed.  
Dante got off his back and groaned, looking at the thing in his hand.

"Now I remember why I hate using the Noisy Cricket. Feels like I got kicked in the chest by a mule."

Szayel growled. He wasn't seeing a way out of this and time was running out.

"Well, well, well. You damaged my specimen."

They all tensed and turned to the new voice. Walking towards them was none other than Maruyi and his daughter Nemu behind him.

Dante groaned. "About time you got here, Chuckles. You have any idea how annoying it was waiting for you to get here?"

Maruyi ignored him and looked at Szayel with interest.

"We'll, I've never seen such an interesting specimen."

"You're a scientist?" Szayel panted out. He was just talking to distract them. He had a plan, but it would take some time to work.

"Indeed. And I must say, lastly I've been receiving many fascinating specimens." He said this while looking over Nel, causing Dante's grip to tighten dangerously around Noisy Cricket.

"May I ask for your name?" He directed this question to szayel.

"Why?"

Maruyi's smile widened.

"Why, so I know how to label the specimen jar I put you in."

Dante heard the small sound of rock moving and looked down behind chuckles, near Nemu. Something was worming its way out, someone the same color as Szayel's tentacles!

"Look out!" He shouted, but it was too late. The tentacle moved with whiplash speed, wrapping around Nemu several times and lifting her up. She only looked slightly surprised, as did Maruyi.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Szayel laughed, throwing his head back. "YOU FOOLS! HOW LAX CAN YOU'RE GUARDS ALL BE!"

"You seem to be mistaken if you think you'll gain anything from taking me hostage." Nemu said, still looking as calm as ever.

"Shut up! I'm not talking to you!" Szayel shouted.

"You can't win Szayel, and you know it. Why do you keep a sliver of dignity and just admit defeat?" Dante said, keeping the Noisy Cricket pointed at Szayel.

Szayel looked like he was about to snap. He knew he was sunk, but if he was going down, then he was taking someone with him.

"Blah, blah, blah. Can't you all keep quiet?"  
Everyone turned to see Maryui was slowly drawing his sword and looking at Szayel.

"You're...noisy. Bankai. Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō."

The blade of Maruyi's bulged and then exploded outwards, going into Maruyi's Bankai. His Bankai had changed into a massive creature, what looked like a twisted baby's body. The head was huge and golden yellow, with a white halo hovering over its head, but the body was that of a twisted caterpillar.

"What!? What...what is this!?" Szayel shouted looking up at the creature. It opened its mouth and breathed out a light pink fog.

Dante was rapidly digging through his pockets.

"Come on, where are they, where are they, where are they...AHA! There you are!"

He pulled out a handful of small purple pills. He quickly swallowed one, then he shouted, "Nel, catch!" While throwing her one.

She caught and looked at it. She was about to open her mouth, but Dante interrupted.

"Just swallow it! Trust me! Uryu, Renji, Don, here!" Throwing one for each of them.

They each swallowed their pills as the smoke reached them and Szayel.

Instantly a rash of some kind, along with purple veins, formed on him slowly spreading.

"Is that... A poisonous virus!?" Szayel noticed. "I can easily neutralize this if I had the time!"

"Then by all means..." Maruyi said with a grin.

"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Szayel shouted as he tried to counteract the virus, until he noticed a shadow over him and looked up, his expression morphing into one of shock.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOO!" He shouted before the head of Maruyi's Bankai crashed down him.

Maruyi held up his hand next to his ear.

"Ah, I can hear it. The battle with the barbarians goes on."

The head of the Bankai lifted up then, sucking in what was left of Szayel, chewing, then belching.

"It...ate him." Renji and Uryu sweat dropped.

"Yes it did. But is everyone alright?" Dante said, appearing next to them and looking them over.

"Fine."

"You sure? Any pains in the joints, swelling, feeling bloated or like your insides are on fire?" Dante asked, turning their heads to look at them.

"Uumm...no?" Don said.

Dante sighed. "Okay, good. Those pills have some side effects sometimes."

"What were those and..." Nel started to ask.

"How are you not affected by the poison fog?" Maruyi injected.

Indeed, now that the others looked around, they saw that they were practically coated in the mist from the Bankai Maruyi had unleashed, yet nothing was happening to them.

"Those pills were specially created by me, using analyze any toxin in the blood stream and break down the proteins until its completely harmless."

"That's not possible. Nanotechnology isn't advanced enough to break down my toxins." Maruyi snarled.

Dante patted his head. "Ah, Maruyi. So young, so naive."

Nobody was noticing Nemu, who was still strung up for some reason in Szayel's tentacle. She was about to ask for them to let her down but...

"AAAAHHHHH!"

Everyone's head snapped around to Nemu. The body was twisting back and the tentacle was slowly tightening around her.

"S-something's not right." Uryu said. He looked at Maruyi, but he was simply watching with a vaguely interested face. "Do something and help her!"

"Too late." Dante blandly stated as the tip of the tentacle rose up, paused, then dove and buried the tip into Nemu's stomach, causing her to shout in pain and everyone's eyes to widen, except Dante, whose look was grim.

A small slit opened on the tentacle and stretched, which then spoke in a smug tone.

"Did you really think that you could kill me?"

"Szayel." Nel snarled.

"Allow me to explain. There is one more ability that I have the most pride in. One that is perfect. It's name...is Gabriel."

The tentacle pulled out of Nemu as Szayel continued to explain.

"This ability is through the belly button, I plant an 'egg' in a living body."

Nemu's skin was starting to wrinkle and her muscles were starting to shrink.

"That 'egg' absorbs the nutrients and fluids from the parent, slowly crawling through the esophagus. When all the essential fluids and nutrients are absorbed, the parent will die..."

Nemu found Maruyi who was still watching with a blank face she said weakly as she grew thinner and thinner, like a mummy drying out, "M...master...Maruyi."

Then he eyes rolled back into her head and her mouth opened and from it came...

"...and summon my rebirth." Szayel finished as he came head first from Nemu's mouth, growing larger and he exited. When he emerged completely, he fell feet first to the ground, hunched over from the slight fall and the technique, while his tentacle unwrapped from what was left of Nemu and let it hit the ground.

Szayel stood tall and smirked at them.

"Shall we try introductions again, shinigami? My name is... Szayel Aporro Granz."

"That's going to be a problem." Dante commented.

"You understand then. By impregnating myself into my enemies, I can take my death and use it to stay alive."

"Immortality. In a fashion." Dante noted.

"Precisely. Perfection. Like the immortal phoenix, the event of death does not stop me. Rather, it becomes a pathway to extended life, like how the phoenix throws itself into fire when it grows old and is reborn from the ashes! I walk in eternity, in an endless cycle of life and death! This is a perfect existence!"

He calmed down slightly and pointed at the group.

"Do you inferior beings understand? You, who are incapable of killing me, can never achieve victory against me, Dante, shinigami."

Dante growled but Maruyi walked past him. He slowly walked until he was past Szayel and knelt down near Nemu, who was close to death. She looked up through dimming eyes and said weakly, "M-master...Maruyi. I'm...sorry."

"Hhmm. Who knew you were so sentimental?"

Dante knew this was not sentimental. Not even close. He knew this was...

"Interesting." Maruyi said with a sick grin, turning to look at Szayel. Szayel looked slightly disgusted by this, as did most of the others, as Maruyi stood.

"I like it. It's a very intriguing ability. And unique to my knowledge. But...is that all?"

"What?" Szayel said, looking annoyed.

"A 'perfect being' such as yourself, surely that can't be it. You would have one last ability up your sleeve."

He gaze turned challenging and he said, "Show me. Now!"

Szayel flicked his index finger upwards. Maruyi's Bankai surged upwards, covering Maruyi in shadow as it started coming down and crashed down on him, the other crying out in shock.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Szayel laughed madly. "You think you can eat my main body and remain unaffected!? It infects the nerves of whatever eat it and takes complete control of it! I may not know all about your Bankai, but if its a living creature, I can take control. Curse yourself in your next life for having a living being as a Bankai!"

The head of the Bankai moved and changed before exploding into a mass of...stuff.

"What?" Szayel uttered, shocked.

"A weapon turning on its master? Oh, no, that can never do."

The mass was shrinking and revealed Maruyi was holding his sword, which was turning back to its sealed state.

"I modified my Bankai to self destruct if anyone beside me tried to control it." Maruyi said lifting his head. Szayel looked aggravated. "Now it's time to test my new drug."

Szayel went into a defensive stance and Maruyi grinned.

"Don't bother defending. The drug is (slow motion) in your system."

"What?" Szayel said looking shocked. 'Why are his words so slow?'

"Allow me to explain. I implanted several drugs into Nemu's body in the event she was ever eaten or invaded, so the attackers would be infected."

"What!? What kind of drugs?!" Szayel shouted.

"No need to worry. This is the one I implanted in the same place as your egg. It's not poison." He pulled out a bottle of purple liquid. "But it will make you...superhuman."

Dante narrowed his eyes. He pulled his sonic out and pointed it at Szayel, activating it.

"It's been said, in a fight between master swordsmen, people often describe objects slowing to a pointing of almost stopping. In other words, a prolonged sense of time."

"Do you understand what he's saying?" Nel asked Dante quietly. She was lost.

Dante clicked off the sonic and looked at Szayel grimly.

"The drug Szayel was given, its increasing his never speed. He's seeing things as such a rate they almost look like they're standing still. His senses are increasing in sensitivity far beyond normal."

"Precisely." Maruyi replied. "This drug lets anyone experience this sensation. In other words, become superhuman." Maruyi stuck the vial back into his robe.

"Due to your super human abilities, the regular movements of a normal man like me must bore you. For example..."

He vanished and reappeared in front of Szayel, holding his sword in front of his eyes, his grin back.

"Does this sword look like it's standing still?"

Szayel didn't reply or move. He didn't even flinch in the slightest.

"But the truly amazing thing about this drug is not the effect, but its duration. Normally a sword expert only experience this for a moment, but this drug multiplies that affect thousands, millions, trillions of times."

Dante then ran some calculations in his head and interrupted Maruyi.

"Something of that degree would need to be diluted at least 25,000 times for anyone to use safely. But if I had to guess, you used a undiluted drug didn't you?"

Maruyi who was too caught up in his glory to even be irritated thanks to the interruption.

"Quite right. To him, one second will be one hundred years."

Nel stared at Szayel in shock and even with slight sadness. She despised him, but she didn't wish that sort of fate on him. Or anyone for that fact.

"His superhuman senses will have left his body extremely slow. Slowly moving anything towards him would take years to reach him." Dante noted, walking toward Szayel and waving his hand before his eyes. Szayel's hand was slowly moving upwards like frost over stone.

"Indeed. And the feel of this..." Maruyi slowly pierced Szayel's, deliberately moving in.

"...will last one hundred years."

"His senses will perceive this, but even I couldn't tell you when. He'll be like this for years if we leave him." Dante said with a slight grimace.

Maruyi slowly pushed his sword in deeply into the Espadas heart.

"Will you pull your sword out of him already? It's not like he can do anything anymore."

"Quite right. But first, I need to deal some punishment to this."

Maruyi's sword cracked in the middle and Dante suddenly remembered what was supposed to happen here.

"Wait!"

Too late. Maruyi broke his sword in half, leaving the other half in Szayel's heart.

"You idiot! Why did you do that?!" Dante shouted.

"A tool displeases its master, then it must be punished."

"When the tool has a conscious and couldn't help itself, then you don't punish it!" Dante remarked, getting close to Maruyi and glaring down at him since he was slightly taller.

"Do not test me, timelord, or you will experience firsthand how punishing I can be." He said with a glare.

"Punish this." Dante replied as he pulled out Noisy Cricket and pointed it at Chuckle's head. His eyes briefly widened before Dante pulled the trigger.

Dante was blasted backwards while Maruyi's head was blown clean, blood spurting out as it collapsed first to its knees, then it's front with a thud.

"Oh, that hurt, but it was worth it." Dante groaned as he tried to sit up. He stopped when he felt something pressed to his throat. He opened his eyes to see Renji was pressing his shikai blade against his throat, looking livid while the others were looking at Dante like he had lost his mind. Which, in a way, he had.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"Have you lost your mind?! You just killed a captain of the Gotei 13!" Renji shouted at him.

"Oh please. He was an ass! Like you never imagined doing that."

Before he could reply, Dante lifted his dagger and was about to press the button. Nel's eyes widened and she started to cry, "Wait...!"

Too late. Dante clicked the button and time flowed backwards while he drifted like a spirit until he entered the body of him from one minute ago.  
He jerked and glared at Maruyi with hateful eyes. Nel noticed this. "Dante?"

He then blurred out of existence just as Maruyi was about to break his sword and reappeared beside him, grabbing his wrist in an iron grip.

"What are you doing?!" Maruyi demanded in rage. Dante didn't answer other than to spin and kick Maruyi in the chest, sending him flying. Dante turned back at Szayel and yanked the sword from his hand and chest. He then swung the sword and decapitated him. As the head flew upwards, Dante sliced at super speed and when he was done, Szayel's head was falling to the ground as a clump of tissues.

Dante looked at it sadly and thought, 'Rest in peace Szayel, even if you were a bastardo.'  
"You insolent child!"

Dante flipped the bird over his shoulder.

"Talk to the hand Maruyi. I have nothing to say to you."

"You had no right to interfere in that!" Maruyi shouted as he stood up and marched towards him.

"No...right?" Dante said quietly. Nel recognized Dante's posture well enough to know how furious he was from that sentence and motioned for the others to take a few steps back.

"NO...RIGHT!?"

He whirled around and his eyes were burning like the flames of hell. He snarled, "If there is one person who has no right, it's you Chuckles! You turned your own men into bombs without their consent. You mistreated and abused your own daughter. You were even willing to take your zanpakuto, your own partner, and break him as punishment for something he had no control over!"

He grabbed Maruyi by his robes and lifted him with one hand. He growled, "If you ever try to say I have no right ever again, I will make your life a living hell."

"I would like to see you try." Maruyi growled back.

Dante's eyes narrowed. "Your wish is my command."

'Connor.' He spoke through the mental link.

'What's up?'

'Open the ovum. I have to teach a certain clown a lesson.'

Connor felt how coldly furious Dante was and took a quick peak at his recent memories.

'Coming right up. I'll make it so one second here is a day in there. Will that work?'

'Perfect.'

A hole in space opened up and Dante said out loud, "Time to teach you the real meaning of fear."

He threw Maryui into the void and looked back at Nel, tossing her the sword, which she caught easily.

"Hang on to that. We'll be back in.." He checked the Ultramatrix. "...30 seconds."

Dante walked into the void and it closed behind him, leaving nothing.  
"Is he...always like that?" Renji asked hesitantly as he let his sword go back to sealed state.

Nel shook her head. "Only when he's truly furious and that only happens rarely. But I've never seen him so mad."

"He seems to have a very developed moral compass. And very well informed at Maruyi." Uryu noted.

"There's a story there, but its not my place to say. I..."

She was cut off as a void opened again and Dante walked out, grinning evilly while looking pleased.

"Where's...?"

Maruyi stumbled out of the void, looking around fearfully. His clothes were torn in several places and his hair was disheveled. His eyes were red and looked like they had seen the devil himself.

Nel looked between them and asked, "Do I want to know what you did to him?"  
Dante pretended to think. "Do you value your sanity?"

"Yes?" She replied slowly.

"Then no, you don't want to know."

He took the sword from Nel and looked it over. It looked fine psychically, but he could feel the spirit inside was, in a word, broken. After everything Maruyi had put it through, he wasn't surprised. He glared at Maruyi, who flinched, and said in a light tone, "Would you mind if I kept this?"

"No, no, not at all, by all means!" He said in a panicked tone. Dante smirked again and then tapped his chin. "There was something I was missing, what was it?"

He cast his gaze around and stopped when he spotted Nemu, still disheveled and apparently dead.

"Ah, yes." He said in a saddened tone. Dante went to her and knelt down, looking at the milky eyes as they stared back blankly.

Dante closed his eyes and said, "She was a good person. Odd, a little cold maybe, but good. She didn't deserve this."

Uryu found himself agreeing with Dante. Nemu had once saved him from her father's poision simply for sparing his life. He didn't know her well, but nonetheless, he liked her as a friend.

Dante opened his eyes and they were glowing gold.

"So..." He then set his hands on either side of her head as they started glowing with a golden aura.

"I have enough regeneration energy left to heal her. This will be interesting."

He grunted before he growled out and the energy shot out of his hands and into Nemu's head. She gasped, her eyes instantly becoming clear and she started gritting her teeth as the regeneration energy worked its way through her body, healing the damage done with incredible speed. The others were watching with amazement at this process until the light died from Dante's eyes and hands and he braced his hands against the ground panting. This always took the energy out of him.

Nemu was panting and looking up at Dante as he panted. He grunted and managed to stand up, holding out his hand to help her up. She accepted it and Dante asked, "How do you feel?"

Nemu looked herself over and she said, in a unusually emotional voice instead of the normal flat tone, "I feel... I don't know how to describe it, but I feel...whole."

Dante smiled wide. "I knew it. I knew it would work!" He said with a clap of his hands.

"Dante, what did you do now?" Nel asked.

He turned, smiling wide. "I healed her body of injuries, but I was able to do more then that. The TARDIS connected to me in the middle of that healing. She poured something into the stream, a gift for her."

He looked back at Nemu, who was looking at her hands.

"I didn't just heal her body. I gave her back her emotions."

"What?" Maruyi said, looking at his daughter. How had Dante given Nemu emotions? When he had 'created' her, he had never given her the things needed to feel emotions. It wasn't possible.

Nemu then did something very un-Nemu like. She hugged Dante and started crying slightly as she said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He hugged her back for a few seconds. He held her until she got herself back together and then they separated.

"Now, we should..."

Dante was interrupted as he heard an explosion a fair distance away and looked to see one of the towers had a hole blown in it. Two figures blasted from the smoke and began rising quickly.

"Tier and Ulquorria." Dante said with a growl. They were going up, so that meant one thing.

"They're going into their released state." Nel guessed as they rose.

"Is that bad?" Renji asked.

"In Los Nochas, there are two things not allowed in the dome. The first is a Gran Ray Cero, a fully powered espada cero, and the release state of the top four Espada." Dante said as the figures rose to almost the top of the dome.

"Why?" Uryu said, having a very bad feeling about this.  
The figures broke through the dome with a slight boom as Dante replied, "Because either one could destroy all of Los Nochas."

Uryu and Renji paled slightly. How were they supposed to fight that.  
Dante heard another explosn, this one behind them. He whirled around and heard the distinct clang of sword on sword. The spirit energies were...

"Grimmjow and Ichigo. Oh, delightful."

Dante pressed a finger to his temple, trying to think. Two battles, both involving important people, and only so many of them. This would not be easy.

"Okay, Maruyi..."

Chuckles flinched.

"I know what your mind is thinking about this lab and you're right. Dig there when you can." He pointed at a patch of rubble that didn't look any different then any other.

"Uryu and Renji, you need healing. Chuckles, do that, but don't make any 'modifications' at all. Nel, you and I are heading up. This is going to be important."

Dante and Nel both blurred as they started going to the upper battle. This would start the true countdown of destruction.

**A/N from lostsoldierS636: This is possibly the best and longest chapter we have written so far. Hope your ready for more. Also we'd like you readers to help support fellow author DemonFireX. He's going through a tough time and it'd be nice for you guys to give him support. Thank you and see ya soon.**

**A/n from Jason Grace: Thank god! (collapse on ground) let me tell you readers, this took forever to write, but was it worth it. We didn't want to split up this chapter, but it was hard not doing it. Also, we want to ask a favor. An author that we both read, DemonFireX, was in a car accident and has recently learned he will never have full control of his right leg again. We were hoping you'd be willing to PM him and give him support for this, since he's taking the bastard that did this to court to sue for hell. Please do so, he needs it. Till next time!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Azien was sitting his throne room, musing over the current situation. Dante had proved to be a worthy opponent, having apparently been planning to betray them from the start. He had approved Szayel's plan for the limiter and Nnitoria to teach Dante his place. When he had appeared again, he was now accompanied by his former third espada, who had managed to return to her true form. Dante's companion Connor had then arrived and they had fought for quite a while. Dante's spirit energy had changed completely before Nnitoria's energy dropped dangerously low then vanishing entirely, though not before lowering Dante's as well. Then Dante and the other spirit pressure vanished entirely, only to reappear a few minutes later, but his spirit pressure was significantly higher than before. He then proceeded to crash Los Nochas system, highjack the speaker system, and then after talking to him, proceeded to split up his group.

"Having fun Azien?"

Azien turned his head to see Gin, his normal foxface in place.

"Fun, Gin?" Azien asked, but the smirk on his face made his mood clear.

"Just when you thought things were all set, Dante went and did something unexpected like this. I know you never expected him to be able to pull this off, and right beneath your nose as well."

"It doesn't matter." Azien responded. "Dante may have plans, but they will be useless when my own plan comes true. Then, nothing can stop me, but in the meantime, I think we should enjoy the show."

They both felt a deep rumble and felt Ulquorria and Tier's spirit energy spike.

Gin smiled wider. "Things are getting interesting."

At the same time, Nel and Dante had been flying upwards to the dome where they had crashed through, but the blast of air from the two high level espada releasing themselves had pushed them back like they had hit a wall.

They both regained their balance and looked at the hole.

"That is a lot of power." Dante commented.

'Indeed. So this is the power of my successor.' Nel thought quietly as they resumed flying towards the hole. They were able to hear the whistling of blades through the air combined with the clang and blast of air of collision.

Dante and Nel flew out of the dome and instantly saw the eternal night of Hueco Mundo, as well as ulquorria and tier pushing back and standing ready in their released states to clash again.

Ulquiorra had become bat-like in appearance. In this form, large, black bat wings formed on his back, his hair having grown longer and wilder, and the remains of his Hollow mask centered atop his head, with two large horns extending outward to the sides towards the front. The lines on his face were now black, broader, and more triangular, and his fingernails were lengthen. His Arrancar attire had become more form fitting and closed at the top, becoming more like a robe towards the bottom. He was also holding a glowing green lance of energy, which was being held like a sword almost.

As for Tier... Dante had to blush slightly at what Tier was wearing.

In this form, her clothes and Espada tattoo were gone. Her mask remnants had become a collar, with extensions covering her nipples. She had spaulders on her shoulders, which bore a resemblance to shark fins, and two ribbon-like protrusions on her back. A thin, spine-like structure was formed on her stomach, spanning from her waist to the underside of her breasts. Harribel wore a mini-skirt consisting of bones surrounding a dark undergarment. She had a pair of knee-length boots and elbow-length gloves. Her weapon now had the form of a broad pata, which resembled an elongated shark tooth, featuring an unusual hilt with a hand guard which completely covered her right hand. The sword possessed gill markings along either side of the blade. She had lost her three braids, causing her hair to become messy, and now had two blue lightning bolt markings on both sides of her face.

Dante whistled. Both of the fighters snapped their heads to the right of the, and instantly spotted Nel and Dante, who waved to them and said, "Hey guys. What's up?"

Tier relaxed slightly at seeing Dante was still all right, although he was holding another blade from earlier.

Ulquorria didn't look as pleased. Actually, he looked the same as ever. Emotionless.

"So, you've arrived Dante Price."

"Oh please call me Dante, I hate the formal crap when it's not needed." Dante said with a wave of his arm. But his tone wasn't angry or even hostile. It was causal, like they were meeting in a park or something.

Ulquorria looked at Nel and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I remember you. Nelliel. The former third espada. You vanished years ago."

"Ulquorria, this fighting is pointless. We're not your enemies." Nel tried to make him see reason.

He ignored her and looked back at Dante, searching his face, Dante calmly meeting his gaze. After a few minutes, Ulquorria asked, "How were you able to betray us?"

Dante sighed. "To be honest, I never truly joined you in the first place. Connor and I put on that little act in the beginning to gain Azien's trust enough to join him, but I was never truly on his side."

"But soul society killed your parents, yet you help them. Why?"

"Actually, that story was false. Based on some truth, but of a different story than my own. I don't approve of everything that soul society does, but Azien is a threat that we would need their help."

Ulquorria stared at Dante. He had managed to fool them, even Azien, even him, and they never suspected he would betray them. Against his will, he was impressed at his manipulation.

"So you joined us for the sole purpose of destroying us from the inside."

"No!" Dante said sharply. "That was a plus, but I never joined you simply to kill you from the inside. I joined because I knew some of you could have your eyes opened where it regarded Azien, and that they were good people at heart."

Ulquorria narrowed his eyes. "You truly think that wishful thinking can change out nature, Dante? Then you are more naive then I thought."

He then vanished in a blur and Dante leaned back as Ulquorria tried to slash at his head. Dante drew Astrid one handed, flipped the blade, then slashed at Ulquorria's throat, which he dodged easily.

They started trading blows one after another as Dante shouted over the clanging sound, "Naive? It's hope! All of you were human spirits at one point, unable to go to soul society, and even you, at some point, had some emotions Ulquorria. Even you can't be satisfied with the rules if someone like Azien!"

"All that matters is Master Azien's will. I have no other purpose."

They locked blades and Dante got in close.

"You know, that sounds just like another race I knew. A race that believe there was nothing for them, because every emotion except hatred and rage was cut out of them, believing that the only solution for anything different was its complete and utter destruction, and following commands without question."

"Do you have a point?" Ulquorria broke the lock and push back, knocking Dante off balance. He slammed his palm into Dante's chest, skidding him back. Dante managed to stop and pushed forward using his speed touché fullest, swinging his dagger to knock away the lance, spinning around, then grabbing ulquorria's neck from behind and throwing him over, slamming him into the roof of Los Nochas and planting a knee into his back to stop him from rising.

"Yes I do. Among that race was one, just one, who thought differently, who thought that emotions didn't make them weaker, but stronger. He and my father might have worked together to bring the race out of darkness, but they killed him before they chance could happen."

Ulquorria slammed an elbow into the side of Dante's jaw, causing him to lift slightly off him. He used sonido to get behind him and quickly formed another green lance like the one he had lost, ready to slice Dante's head off.

"Then here I will kill you before you have the chance to destroy us."

"LA GOTA!"

A blast of water hit Ulquorria from the side, though blast might be understating it. Bomb might be closer, sending Ulquorria flying and skidding when he hit the ground.

Dante turned his head to see Tier pointing her sword at Ulquorria, who was slowly getting up again.

"Dante, I need to know, and I need to know now. Do you want me to kill him?" Tier asked.

Nel appeared next to him and helped him up as Dante looked at ulquorria, thinking. Ulquorria was a tough nut to crack, maybe too tough. But, maybe, just maybe he could get through. But it would take time to think as to how.

"Don't kill him, but make sure he won't be trouble for a while."

"Done."

"You truly think you can stop me Tier, with you being emotional?" Ulquorria formed another lance and this one he held in preparation to throw.

"Do you truly think you can over power me?"

They both stood ready for battle, then Ulquorria threw his lance. It flew towards her head but she leaned it so it missed, the wind blowing back her hair. She instantly vanished and slashed behind Ulquorria's back, cutting lightly. He hissed in pain, and whirled, a light building at his finger tips, but it was pitch black in color as he pointed at Tier, who's eyes widened.

"Cero Oscuras."

The cero was fired, apparently engulfing tier.

"No!" Dante cried, fear getting the better of him for a minute. He charged forward and swung Astrid, trying to hit him in the side. Ulquorria grabbed the hand without looking and whirled, punching towards Dante's head. He ducked down under the blow and flexed his leg over his back to kick Ulquorria with his foot, snapping his head back. Dante then whipped his foot forward and got them both up, kicking Ulquorria's chest and sending him skidding back. Ulquorria stopped himself quickly and looked up but his eyes widened as something registered in the corner of his eye, forcing him to duck down again. He felt something smash into his back and force him into the roof. A blade was set lightly against his jugular vein. A white sword.

"Cero Oscuras. Even in battle, I never expected you to use that technique." Tier said, her foot set just below his hollow hole. She looked fine, just some slight burns on her skin and clothes.

"You are a traitor to master Azien. It's my duty to try my best to destroy you, no matter your rank." He stated, tilting his head to look at her out of the corner of his eye

Dante walked in Ulquorria's field of view and knelt down, tilting his head to look at him.

"But then, that wasn't to the best of your abilities Ulquorria, was it?"

Ulquorria looked at him blankly.

Dante looked up at Tier and nodded. "Do it."

Tier grabbed Ulquorria and picked him up by his robe, pushing a glowing cube into his hollow hole, which started glowing brightly.

"You will regret this." Ulquorria warned before dissapering in a flash of light.

"I'm guessing that was a Caja Negación that I've heard about?" Dante asked.

"Yes. Used to punish fraccion by sending them to an alternate dimension, from which there is no escape."

"But that's something designed for fraccion. Any idea on how long it would last on an espada?" Nel asked her.

"Based on Ulquorria's powers and the design of the Caja Negación, my guess would be..." He looked at the Ultramatrix. "...two and a half hours. At most."

"Then we better work fast."

They all turned to see a hole in space, and in that hole was...

"Connor."

Connor was currently standing with his hands in his pockets, in the control room of me the TARDIS.

"Are you guys waiting for an invitation? Come on! We have work to do." Connor said with a snap of his fingers.

Tier shifted back into her sealed state, sheathing her sword across her back, and they all walked through, feeling the odd tingle of instantly traveling through one place to another.

Dante shivered and groaned. "That feeling always creeps me out."

Connor snapped his fingers again, and instantly closed the hole, repairing it quickly.

"Like you've never seen creepier things. Remember during that time at Yokai, when we had to find out what the heck was going on in Witch Hill? Or that time with the PSC and-"

"Fair enough. The others are okay?" Dante said cutting the rest of Connor's sentence out.

"Dante and the others are resting, but healed. Orihime was a huge help there."

"Thought she might be. Well, let's go say hello."

They walked down the halls until they arrived at the medical bay, Dante knocking before sticking his head in. Orhime was currently sitting next to Rukia along with Renji, while the other girls were checking over Ganten and Chad. They all looked up as Dante waved and said, "Hi honey, I'm home."

"About time to!" Sung-Sun said as she went and gave him a hug as he walked in, which he returned.

"Orihime, how you doing?" He asked as he let go of Sung-Sun. He noticed that she had changed out of the Arrancar uniform, most likely taking the clothes for the extensive TARDIS wardrobe.

She was wearing a yellow blouse and a red skirt that fell to her knees, plus some white sandles. It was a nice effect on the eyes, but simple at the same time.

Orihime was smiling and went to hug Dante, which he returned and said, "Oh, feels like forever since I last saw you."

He let her go and held her face looking into her eyes as he said, "But you did good."

He searched her eyes for a second and smiled. "And you took my advice as well. You didn't let Ulquorria into your head."

She nodded and he lightly clapped her cheek affectionaltly. He then let her go and said, "Now, let's check the others."

He went around quickly, checking everyone's pulse and eyes, lifting their eyelids, while Nel was introduced to he got to Rukia he took her pulse, frowned, then checked her eye lids.

"What's wrong?" Connor asked.

"Nothing, in fact..."

Rukia groaned and Dante let go off her eye lids as she lifted her hand to her head.

"Rukia." Renji said, helping her sit up.

"Renji?" She said quitly opening her eyes, then squinting agains the light. "Where are we?"

"You're in my ship, the sick bay to be precise."

Rukia turned to see Dante, who waved at her."What's up?"

Rukia's eyes widened at Dante."You're..."

"Dante Price. Yep, that's me. And this is Connor." He said as he moved aside to show her Connor, who simply nodded.

"Rukia! You're alright!" Orihime cried, clapping happily.

Rukia turned to spot Orihime, but more importantly she spotted sung-sun and the others. He eyes went wide again and she jumped to her feet, but almost instantly staggered with nausua. Renji steadied her and said, "Easy. You had quite a few fatal wounds when they found you."

Dante rushed to her side and helped sit her down.

"You'll be fine, but take it easy for a few minutes. Take some deep breaths."

She did so and when she was steadied, Dante took some time to introduce them all, then explain what had happened, both to her and what had happened in the past few hours.

When Dante was done, she said the only thing that came to mind.

"Wow."

"Really? Just wow? Ah well, guess you did just wake up." Dante said. Then he frowned and pressed a finger to his temple.

"Why do I feel like I'm missing something?"

Rukia was thinking that as well and when she looked around the room, her eyes widened.

"What about Ichigo?"

Dante's eyes widened, as did everyone else's and he smacked his forehead.

"Idiot, idiot, idiot!" Dante said as he ran through the TARDIS. The others followed after him, Rukia being supported by Renji as they all arrived at the control room and a Dante was typing away at the computer before smacking it with his palm

"Damn it, his fight ended 20 minutes ago! Okay, need to do a time jump back!" He shouted as he started pulling levers, flipping switches, and doing whatever else he did. The girls all braced themselves as Dante cried, "Okay, hold on tight!"

He threw the last lever and the TARDIS shook violently, throwing Rukia and Renji off balance as the TARDIS made its classic sound before landing. Dante ran out as Rukia shouted, "What the hell was that?"

"Something sciency, can't explain right now, just get out here!" Dante cried as he flung open the doors and ran out, the others following as they heard and felt the enormous clang on clang of swords, each sound being accompanied by a blast of air.

They all rushed out, Rukia doing a double take when she saw the extior of the TARDIS, but that was changed as they looked up to see Ichigo was locked in battle with Grimmjow. Ichigo was in his Bankai, his back to them, while Grimmjow was in his released state.

Grimmjow's appearance had changed drastically to something more feline and predatory. His teeth had become jagged and sharp, his hands turned into black claws and his feet black clawed paws, similar to that of a cat, along with a slender whip-like tail that's longer than his body. His hair was very long and flowing, and the markings around his eyes enlarged and extended to the tips of his ears, which had become swept back and cat-like. He had lost his distinctive jaw mask, which was replaced by a sort of a headgear upon his brow covering his forehead. His clothing changes to become form-fitting white segmented armor, which had blades producing from his calves and forearms.

"Ichigo, Grimmjow!" Dante shouted over the noise, cupping his hands around his mouth.

They both stopped and looked towards them, Ichigo turning his head enough for them to see his face. He had his hollow mask on, a mask that was mostly white except for three red lines on the right side of it, and through the eye holes, his eyes were shining gold while the whites were now black.

Ichigo instantly spotted Orihime and he relaxed slightly, glad she was safe, while Grimmjow locked onto Dante and laughed loudly.

"So, you finally decided to show up Dante! Surprised it took you this long to get here!"

"Well, I'm a busy man. Places to go, plots to make, people to meet. Its a full time job." He called back.

"I'll believe that." He looked over the group that was standing behind him, lingering on Nel like he recognized her, then he stopped on Rukia and grinned wildly.

"Hey shinigami. Surprised you're still standing after that hole I punched in you."

Rukia shivered and grabbed her sword out of instinct under Grimmjow's heavy gaze.

"Oi!"

They all looked at Dante again who was looking slightly annoyed.

"We are not here to listen to you talk. What we are here to do is ask if you would be willing to be neutral in the fight between Gotei 13 and Azien." Dante stated.

Grimmjow stared at Dante for a minute, then threw back his head and laughed.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that Dante! You think I'll just sit on the sidelines of a battle like that!?"

"Okay, let's make a little deal then." Dante disappeared and reappeared next to them, causing them both to looked at him shocked, in fact, he looked shocked as well. He looked at his right hand and thought, 'How the hell did I just use sonido!?'

'That would be thanks to me.' He heard Astrid's voice in his head, and it sounded amused.

'Oh fantastic, now I can use Arrancar powers?' He asked her, not noticing the others for a minute as he was talking to his zanpakuto.

'Not all of them, just sonido, thought you'd like to be able to keep up.'

'Brilliant. Thanks for that.'

'No problem.'

"Dante!" Grimmjow shouted

Dante jumped slightly and his eyes cleared, as he cleared his throat and said, "Sorry, what? Oh, right, the deal. Okay." He clapped his my hands together.

"Here's the deal, but, Ichigo would need to agree as well. We will not interfere in your fight, in any way, shape, or form. We will let you fight it out, just two thick headed numbskulls crashing your blades together because you simply can't be satisfied with a stupid draw."

Both if them were looking very unhappy with Dante's description and were about to interupt but he said loudly, "However! Grimmjow, I will not let you kill Ichigo, and I will not let Ichigo kill you. You can fight until the other is a bloody mess, I don't care, but you can not kill. Or so help me, I will rain down every power I have at my disposal. Agreed?" He adressed both of them with this.

Both of them glared at each other, then Dante, calculating this in their heads. Both of them did want to settle this fight, but not being able to kill the other. Well...beggers can't be choosers.

"Fine." They both said at the same time.

"Good. Well, I'll just leave you two then."

Dante vanished with sonido again, reappearing behind the others and said, "Okay, we need to find Pesche while those two decide to fight each other like idiots."

"You didn't try to stop the fight entirely?" Tier asked.

Dante stared at her, then threw back his head.

"HA! I know better then that. Ichigo is so thick, I wouldn't be able to stop him. And I mean it, he is Thickety Thickface from Thicktown, Thickania. But not his dad. He's just crazy."

Everyone who knew Ichigo made an 'eehh' face, like that summed it up pretty well. Orihime turned back to watch them with a worried look on her face, which Dante caught and thought, 'God help me, if he has not realized Orihime has feelings for him before we have to leave, I am doing something about it. Mark my words.'

"Okay, got something to will just take a minute, so everyone, just stay right here." He a started running to the TARDIS, looking over his shoulder as he reached the door and pointed at them, shouting, "Stay! I mean it!"

"Just go already!" Connor shouted at him.

"Right, going!"

Dante ran into the TARDIS and started typing super fast on the keyboard, hacking into the Los Nochas cameras. He may have fired the grid, but the cameras themselves were wireless and easily hacked.

"Ok,where are you?" He muttered to himself as he looked through several security cameras looking for Pesche. After a few minutes, he finally found him. Seems Szayel's fraccion had separated him from the group and stuck him into a maze of some sort in the building, with no way out as he ran down corridors and kept running into dead ends.

"Well, not anymore." Dante muttered before he pressed a button on the console and spoke, "Pesche!"

Pesche tripped in shock and went tumbling down the hell for a a few yards before coming to a rest with his face planted down. Then he pushed himself up and cried, "Dante!"

Pesche looked around wildly and shouted, "Where are you?!"

"Hang on a minute, don't move from that spot." Dante started running around, pulling levers, pushing a button, then grabbing the hammer and hitting the console.

"Here we go!" He shouted as the TARDIS started shifting, appearing around Pesche, who was confused as the TARDIS phased around him, the settled and solidified.

"Hello old friend." Dante grinned as he walked from behind the console.

"Dante!" Pesche ran to hug him and he returned it.

"Oh, good to see you. But I know somebody who would be even happier. Hang on!" Dante shouted as he started his scramble to travel back. After it landed, he ran to the door, opened it and stuck his head out with a grin.

"Oh Nel, Don, I brought back a friend."

"Nel!?"

"Pesche!" She cried as Pesche ran past Dante to hug his friend and master, which she gleefully returned.

"Oh sure, no thanks whatsoever. Just a service I offer when ever I feel like it." Dante grumbled.

"Thank you!"

Next thing he knew, he was getting the 'affectionate hug of death' from Nel.

"Nel. Too much thanks. Can't breathe. Can't breathe!" He wheezed out.

"Sorry!" She said and let him go, letting him sag over and heave in a breath. Then he managed to stand up, still clutching his side. "Right. Okay, while we wait for them to finish up, feel like I'm missing something again. What was it, what was it? Oh! I know."

He turned to Pesche and said, "Didn't I see you grab something from a closet before I came to get you?"

"Oh, right. Where was it?" Pesche was digging through his...*cough*... pockets and then he pulled out what looked like some sort of clothing.

Nel gasped. "Is that...?"

Pesche nodded happyily. "It's just like your old uniform. I found it when I was running around trying to find you guys."

"Thank god for that." Dante muttered to himself. He really wanted Nel to change into something less revealing then her rags, but he did think he had anything she would like in the TARDIS wardrobe that would also be suited for battle.

"I'll go change into these. Be right back." Nel said as she took the robes then vanished with sonido, obviously looking for a place to change.

Connor sighed. "We can never have a normal day can we?" He asked Dante, who looked shocked.

"Why on earth would you want a normal day? It's boring. Besides, I think that for us, this is normal."

"Fair enough."

Dante looked around, noticing that Grimmjow and Ichigo had apparently moved their fight and saw them fighting about half a mile away, oblivious to them.

Dante suddenly grunted and spasmed, hunching over while clutching his head, his eyes clenched shut.

"Dante?" Connor put a hand on his shoulder and Dante growled, but this was a deep animal growl.

"Dante, what's wrong?" Sung-Sun started to approach him but Dante shouted, "Stay back! I can't keep it **under control."** Dante's voice was starting to change, turning darker, heavier, more rough.

Dante fell to his knees, grunting and twitching before his head snapped up, his eyes opening. Everyone gasped and grabbed their blades out of fear. Dante's eyes were hollow eyes, black eyes with golden iris.

Dante's eyes blinked and looked at each of them slowly, causing them to shiver with terror at his gaze. He smiled and said in his new voice, **"Hello everyone. Nice to finally meet you, face to face."**

Connor glared at the thing using Dante's body while pulling out his pocket watch. He flicked it open and grabbed the blade as it came out, having it ready as he demanded, "Who and what the hell are you?"

The being smiled wider. **"I have no name. I was born without one, nor do I want one. As to what I am, well..."** He nodded towards the assembled Arrancar. **"...they should know what I am."**

"T-that's... That's impossible." Sung-Sun said in a shaky voice, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

**"Oh, but it's not my dear Sung-Sun. It's all too possible and it's happened, just like I knew it would."**

"Get out of Dante's body, you..."

**"And why should I?"** The hollow interrupted with a sneer. **"I've waited patiently for my time, for when Dante's guard would be low enough for me to take control. You think I will relinquish that after so much waiting? Would you relinquish Dante when he leaves you, and this universe behind?"**

Sung-Sun opened her mouth to object, but she couldn't make any sound come out. Secretly she did fear that Dante would simply leave them when he was done here, never to return.

"I'm back."

Nel reappeared with her back to Dante, facing the others. She was now wearing a white form fitting uniform with boots. She also had a long skirt as well, and a pink sash at her waist, hanging on her hip.

"Sorry, if took a while to find a place to change then...what?" She asked as she noticed everyone seemed to be shocked. At first she thought it was the new clothes, then she noticed two things. One, they were staring behind her. Two...Dante's spirit energy was very, very wrong.

She slowly looked behind her and saw Dante. And his eye's were black.

Dante smirked and stated, **"So, you finally came back."** Her looked her over hungrily and added, **"Nice uniform, but I preferred your other...attire much more. It was very...informing."** He finished with a smirk, his eyes letting her know what he meant.

Nel spun and grabbed her blade, ready to draw at any second.

"What are you?" She demanded.

**"Well, I'm like you aren't I? I'm a hollow. And I'm finally free to act as I please."**

Dante vanished in a blur and Nel stiffened as she heard a long inhale behind her and the hollow's voice whisper, **"You smell nice."**

"Get away from her!" Pesche and Don shouted, charging forward to attack Dante. They both threw a punch, but Dante grabbed both of them without looking. He thrust his elbows up and smashed their chins, snapping their heads up. He spun on heel and slammed a palm each into their chests, sending them flying towards the others.

**"You think you can stop me?"** He asked lightly as he drew Astrid, spun it in mid air, and grabbed it so the blade faced outwards. **"Turn back the clock Astrid."**

The dagger glowed, signaling it was awakened, but instead of the normal blue, the dagger glowed red with a hint of black in it, the spirit energy feeling evil and heavy. Dante vanished gain, this time appearing several feet away and looking at them in disgust.

**"You people. You spend all your time looking after each other, and what has it ever gotten you? Nothing. Not one single thing."**

"That's not true!" Orihime shouted at the hollow. This scared her, but she knew this wasn't Dante. She could feel a small amount of his spirit energy in the one surrounding them now, but it slowly fading. She couldn't help but feel helpless for her friend.

**"No? I think it is."** He focused all his power in her, enough she started sweating and panting slightly from the pressure.

**"After all, look at you. In love with a boy who has no clue, useless for anything other then being captured and used against your so called friends. You try to grow strong, but instead you don't grow at all. You just get in the way."**

Orihime's eyes started tearing up and her breath was growing more ragged. Connor noticed. She was starting to doubt herself and believe what the hollow was saying. Though powerful, he was by no means stupid if he could preasure her like this more and he could damage her personality for good.

'Dante. I know you in there.' Connor thought with all his might sending them through the mental link.

The hollow's head twitched like it was shaking off a fly and glared at Connor.

**"You can't get through to him like that. He's gone, forced into his deepest corner in his mind."**

"I don't think so. I think he's still in there." Connor stated, slowly taking steps forwards. "Your powerful, but not even you could completely force a time lord's mind into a corner. If we could heal him, you would go back to wherever you came from."

Nel was getting nervous. Dante's hollow had his zanpakuto powers, meaning he could go back one minute to change anything he wanted. If Connor wasn't careful, he would get them all killed.

"**You think you can heal his mind? Ha! I know better, Connor. Your two roommates always require something in return to heal something. Like that time you had to heal you're little girlfriend at Yokai. What was her name? Kurumu Kurono?"**

Connor's fists clenched tightly and his face grew hard. He didn't know why, but the name sounded so familiar. Then quite suddenly, Connor yelled in pain and grabbed his head, dropping his sword to the ground.

"Connor!" Appaci shouted. She ran to his side as he kept his hands on either side of his head, withering on the ground and shouting in pain. The cloaks edges were rippling and glowing slightly as Appaci knelt next to him and tried to hold him still a she shouted over his shouting, "Connor! What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong!"

The hollow laughed evilly. **"It looks like the memory is trying to return, but his roommates aren't letting go. If this keeps up, his brain will be crushed."** He noted in a conversational tone.

Orihime broke out of her trance and knelt next to him. Connor grabbed one of her hands in a steel grip and looked into her eyes, looking desperate. "Heal him. Heal Dante. If you do, the hollow will..." He didn't get to finish as he shouted in pain and curled in the fetal position, clutching his head again, shaking all over.

"**Heal me? Hhmm. Not a bad plan. Orihime's powers are based on taking events and rejecting that they happened. If she did that, I suppose I would be forced back into Dante's mind. Except for one problem."** Dante held up Astrid and smirked as he said, **"With my dagger, I can go back one minute in time, before Connor said that plan. All I have to do is shut him up and you can't stop me. Bye bye."**

The hollow lifted his thumb to press the button, but...

"No!"

The hollow felt a foot slam into his solar plexus, sending his breath out in a who of and causing him to sink to the ground on his knees. He felt someone grab his hand and try to pry his fingers off the dagger. He growled and tried to keep his fingers clenched, but they were pried off and the dagger yanked out of his hand. He looked up to see Nel clutching it before she vanished with sonido.

**"No!"**

"Orihime, now!" Rukia shouted.

Orihime looked at Dante and said weakly, "S-Sōten Kisshun!"

The three fairies separated from her hair pins ad settled around Dante, making the dome.

**"No!"** The hollow charged the dome, but was sent back by its power. He growled and started punching it as hard as he could, one after another. A small crack started forming on the dome with every punch.

"Orihime, what's wrong!?" Rukia called at her. She knew her barrier was more powerful then this. Why wasn't it working?

Orihime was shaking as she pointed at the dome, trying to heal, but she didn't have the confidence she needed. Dante's hollow had said exactly what she feared. Ichigo didn't know she loved him, and she did try to grow strong, but she never could, not to protect her friends. She was always the weakest link, the one who couldn't do nothing useful.

She felt someone grab her hand and looked down to see Connor. He was still in pain, but his eyes were clear(as they could be behind his glasses)as he looked at her and said strongly, "You're not weak. You're not useless. You are so important to so many people. And you can save him. You can save Dante. Just believe."

Then his grip slacked and his hand dropped to the ground as he sighed out, hs eyes closing.

"Connor!" Appaci cried as she shook him, trying to wake him up.

Orihime looked back at the dome with new determination. Then she said in a loud clear voice, "I reject!"

The hollow screamed in fury as Orihime's dome started 'healing', turning back time and forcing him back into Dante's mind. He slammed both fists against the dome and glared at them all as he hissed out, **"This isn't over. I won't just live in Dante's mind like a pet. You will see me again very soon. Count on it."**

Then his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to his knees then fell backwards on the ground, his face relaxing as he sighed out.

The dome broke then as the healing was finished and the fairies flew back to Orihime as she and Tier, along her other fraccion and Nel, knelt next to him as Tier took his pulse. It was normal as were his eyes as she pulled back his pupils.

"He's fine, but we need to give them time to rest. Come on, let's get them into the TARDIS."

"We can't fly it." Sung-Sun objected.

Thy heard a **_WHHHIIRRRR_** and looked to see that the light on top of the TARDIS was flaring in and out, like it was saying it was ready to go.

"Guess we won't need to."

"Hey guys."

Everyone snapped their heads to see Ichigo was standing there, though standing was a loose term. He was barely standing and looked like he had been put through the shredder, the top of his robes torn completely.

"Ichigo!" Orihime cried and started to run towards him.

Until Starrk appeared out of nowhere, right in front of Orihime. Her eyes widened as Starrk lightly grabbed her shoulder and said, "Sorry, I don't like fighting like this."

"Starrk."

Stark looked up to see even had their blades ready except for Tier and Nel, who had spoken, and looked the tiniest bit sad.

"Hello Nel. I thought I heard you were back."

"Starrk, don't do this." Nel implored him. "Azien doesn't care about you like you think. Don't listen to him."

Stark looked down a bit sadly. "I don't have a choice."

Dante coughed and turned over on his side, clutching his head as he moaned, "Oh, did anyone catch the name of that planet?"

"Dante!" Sung-Sun quickly helped him up until he was able to stand, his arm around her. He looked up and saw Starrk, piecing the scene together.

"Hello Starrk, you're looking fit."

"And you look like crap." Stark replied.

"Feel like it too. So, um..." He snapped his fingers a few times before saying, "Sorry, what did you say before I woke up, I know it was something rubbish."

"I don't have a choice."

"Oh, right, right, right, right. The whole 'I have no choice thing.' Well, I'm telling you this Starrk, you couldn't be more wrong. Do you really think Azien will make this world a better place. Do you think he cares at all about you? You simply need to look at me, Tier, even Nel to see Azien doesn't care about us. He just cares about himself."

Starrk shook his head. "I owe him too much. But if it makes any difference, I did wish we could be friends Dante." He said this sincerely was looking into Dante's eyes, who could see he really meant it.

Dante nodded at him. "Me too."

Starrk vanished in an instant, taking Orihime with him.

"Orihime!" Ichigo shouted, furious he had lost her after he just found her again.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine. Sung-Sun, help me in the TARDIS, we need to rest."

Ichigo said, "I'm going after her."

"Not like that you're not. You don't look much better then me. Where's Grimmjow by the way?"

Ichigo pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Knocked him out back there. But that's beside the point, I can't just leave her with him while we rest.

"Ichigo, I have a time machine. We can come back a second after we left. Now get in before I have Rukia and Renji persuade you, and from what I remember, they were very persuasive during this time period."

Ichigo was tempted to rogue more, but then received a glare from both Rukia and Renji that said they weren't taking no for an answer.

"Fine. But how can we fit in...that?" He pointed at the TARDIS with a slightly disgusted look.

"Oi! Little less judging please. I'll have you know I grew up in that. Now come on. And don't forget Connor. You'll need to explain what happened when I was passed out."

"You'll have some explaining too Dante." Sung-Sun warned him. But they all went to the TARDIS, Appaci and Nel getting Connor as they entered. Ichigo was of course shocked but Dante said, "Yes, yes it's bigger on the inside, get with the program and shut up. We have a good few hours ahead of us." He said as he put the TARDIS in the time vortex, so they could bid their time and build their strength before going after Orihime and Azien.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Connor was resting peacefully as he breathed in and out, recovering from whatever he had had before, the others gathered around him.

"So, a name was mentioned when I was...possessed?" Dante asked, sitting on one side of Connors bed.

"Yes, then Connor just fell to the ground shouting his head off." Nel said from behind him.

Appaci was tight lipped like she had been for the past thirty minutes, simply looking at Connor in concern while Dante had taken care of the others, though Ichigo had required some more extensive care before he was healed.

Dante sighed and looked at his friend sadly as he whispered, "What did I do to you Connor?"

"Dante, what on earth was that thing?" Tier asked from the other side of the bed beside Appaci. "And why did it show up now?"

"I don't know." Dante said, holding his folded hands over his mouth like the Doctor did when he was thinking, debating if he should tell them.

"Don't...you...dare."

He looked up over his shoulder to see Sung-Sun looking calmly furious.

"I think we all know that you know what that was, and I for one want an explanation as to why you have someone like that in you."

Ichigo looked around at everyone and said in an irritated tone, "Anybody want to explain what happened to me? Because I seem to have missed something."

"All right, all right, fine. I'll tell you all." Dante sighed and rubbed his eyes, then clapped his hands together and looked up. "What you saw, what took me over... That was my hollow, my inner hollow."

Everyone was shocked silent for a moment and Dante explained.

"Astrid, she explained this when I met her in my inner world. She said that that time I was speared in the side by Luppi, I healed, but some spirit energy was left. That slowly started growing as I learned to manipulate my own spirit energy, then a few more key events, she was born, in my mind scape. But, the problem was Luppi. He's an Arrancar, that's a hollow who's gained shinigami powers due to ripping off their masks. So, if I gained shinigami power from an Arrancar... what's the other thing I gain?"

He tapped the side of his head. "A hollow, grown in my head of my deepest and darkest thoughts, and trust me, after all my years of living, I have a lot."

"Wait, so you have a hollow in your head, like me?" Ichigo interrupted.

"No, not exactly." He pointed at Ichigo. "Your hollow was born naturally in your head, like the rest of them, it's mindless, brutal, seeking only to grow strong and eat." He looked at those gather, namely the Arrancar, and added, "No offense."

"We can't help our nature." Mila-Rose said with a shrug.

"So, your hollow, it's strong, but not too bright." He smirked and noted, "Just like you."

"Hey!"

"My hollow is different, fundamentally. It was born off an arrancar's spirit energy, and inside a time lord hybrid's head. Therefore, he's not only powerful, but he is very very clever. And so mad, he would burn the universe, for just reason, just one. Care to guess what?"

Ichigo was a little shocked with Dante's gaze, but he shrugged.

"Simply to watch it burn."

"But why did it show up now? That's the part I don't get." Rukia said.

"Any number of reasons, take your pick. Maybe my mental barriers were low enough it could take over, maybe he ran out of patience, or maybe... He was tired of being ignored. But my question is this... What did he say to Connor?"

Appaci spoke for the first time in the entire time they had been threat and she whispered, "He said a name."

"What name did he say?" Dante said with a sinking feeling.

Appaci looked at him. "Kurumu Kurono."

Dante rubbed his face. "Oh, beautiful. That explains everything."

"Who is she, and what does she mean to Connor?"

"Okay, not going to lie to you, she was someone close to Connor. In a previous universe, the one we were in before we came here, Connor arrived in...unpleasant circumstances."

"Like what?" Appaci asked coldly.

"Well... He was...being chased by a horde of hell hounds sent by Hades as he ripped a hole to the universe."

"Oh, so, easy." Tier said sarcasticly.

"Yeah. Pretty much. Connor first encountered me and one of my friends, then, when I went to get some medical supplies to patch him up, Kurumu, who was...emotional at the time, captured him, took care of him till he woke up."

"Being Connor, he left after holding a blade to her throat and getting his stuff back. Then one thing lead to anothe until they grew...closer."

"How close?" Appaci demanded.

"Eehh...eyes...close." Dante said, slowly sliding back in case he needed to run.

Appaci sat back, hard. Connor had been able to look into her eyes? And she hadn't died? Then...

"No."

Appaci looked at Dante who said firmly, "I know that look in your eyes Appaci, I've seen it a few times. And I'm telling you, right here and now, Connor cares for you. Deeply, genuinely, cares for him."

She felt some of the doubts and fears settle and look at Connor again.

"What happened to her? Kurumu? And why couldn't Connor bear hearing her name?"

Dante rested his chin on his hands again.

"That's complicated. I told you that the cloak he has, it's made from the soul of Kronos and his father, correct?"

Nods from everyone besides Ichigo and the other shinigami.

"Well, their souls reside in the cloak, but that's where the problem arises. In the previous universe, Kurumu and a few of our friends got involved In a battle, a big battle, with a group of beings. Long story short, Kurumu and the others were critically injured, so much that nothing I had could help them. So Connor begged for help from the cloak, and Kronos and his father agreed to heal them. But, at a heavy cost."

Dante sighed again. "In order to heal them, the cloaks always required something in return, it varied from time to time, but in this case... Kronos said the cost of healing Kurumu and the others was this. Until we returned to that universe, he would lose any and all memories of Kurumu. And if he ever tried remembering, like the hollow made him, his brain would try to take the memories, but the cloak won't let them go. A tug of war, in his mind, until the stress would make it...snap."

"Until what snaps?"

Everyone jumped and looked at Connor who groaned and lifted a hand to his head.

"Hey buddy, how you feeling?"

"Like I have the worlds worst hang over."

He slowly sat up and held rubbed his eyes under his glasses before asking, "What happened?"

Dante bit his lip before saying, "Not entirely sure. Do you remember anything?"

"Give me minute."

Connor rubbed his temples thinking and said slowly, "I remember...okay, I remember Ichigo and Grimmjow, then... You getting possessed... The hollow, he said something but... I... I don't remember what it was."

Dante kept his face blank. Seemed Kronos had pulled the memory back when Connor passed out. He didn't remember her name.

"After that, I remember telling Orihime to heal you, then...nothing."

Dante nodded. "Well, I doubt we'll know what caused that, in the mean time, I think you might need to eat something."

"I think so. Can you grab me a transfusion pack please?"

"Sure hang on a..."

"No, here."

Everyone looked up to see Appaci was loosing her collar and holding her neck out. Connor didn't move for a minute until she said in an irritated voice, "Are you going to or not?"

Connor shook his head then bared his fangs and bit down on her neck. Ichigo grimaced, as did his friends. They had seen some weird and disgusting stuff, but this... this just looked wrong, to see someone sucking blood like that, and not in a cheesy monster movie.

After a few seconds, Connor has drunk his fill and pulled of his fangs. Dante handed some gauze bandages he had grabbed and handed it to Appaci with some medical tape. Appaci put some on and after that was done, Connor swung his legs out of bed and asked, "So, what now?"

Dante sighed. "Now, I'm afraid we need to tie up some loose ends, and subject ourselves to a horrible touture."

"What's that?" Renji asked nervously.

Dante shuddered. "Azien's voice."

"Amen for the torture bit." Connor muttered as he stood up and grabbed his cloak, mask, and pocket watch from the bedside table.

Dante led the way back to the console room and shouted, "Right, hang on everyone! This is not going to be pretty! Split second landings are very difficult!"

Everyone with experience instantly grabbed on to something that was screwed down while Ichigo was standing confused as Dante ran around the console doing, in this order, pumping, banging with a hammer, pushing buttons, pulling levers, and then kicking a panel before the TARDIS learned violently and sent Ichigo flying off his feet and hitting his head on the ground as he fell.

"And...there!" Dante said with a huff. He noticed Ichigo laying on the ground and leaned over him.

"Comfy?"

Ichigo groaned before glaring up at Dante.

"I hate you so much right now."

Dante smirked and said a term someone he knew always liked to say.

"No you don't." He said in a singsong voice.

Connor smirked as well as he slipped his mask on and walked beside Dante through the doors of the TARDIS, the others following while Ichigo climbed to his feet and follow grumpily. Dante looked up at the sky and waited for a minute, thinking, 'Okay Azien, your move.'

In the throne room, Azien was looking at a screen looking at Dante and the others, Dante looking directly into the camera. He had just told Orihime how he planned to destroy karukara town to make the Oken, the royal key that would allow him to go to the palace of the soul king and kill him, Tosen and Gin with him as they readied to depart. Before they did though, this had shown the TARDIS reappearing not a second after it had left, but clearly Dante and the others had rested. Azien smiled and said, "Tosen, open communications. Time to let soul society know how outmatched they really are."

"Yes sir." Tosen said as he snapped out his right arm. Several black lines on his arm started extending through the air as he said, "Bakudou 77, Tenteikuura."

Everyone's head except Dante's snapped up as Azien's voice echoed through Los Nochas.

"Hello my dear invaders and traitors espada."

"Ugh, listen to him, just nag, nag, nag, nag." Dante said in disgust, but no one was paying attention.

"First, I'd like to say you have my deepest respect for defeating my espada like you have, but I think its time to cut this game short."

Dante felt something pass over them as Connor felt it as well.

"He's sealed the gates. We're trapped."

'Good, keep up the charade as long as he's here.' Dante said through the link.

"As we speak, my remaining espada and their fraccion are planning to invade karukara town and creat the Oken. But I'll be leaving Orihime Inoue behind for you. She is...no longer of intrest."

"What?" Ichigo said with his eyes widening, looking shocked, but Dante was expecting this.

"Her power to reject fate is interesting, but she was meant to serve another purpose. Soul society recently gained an interesting power, the boy named Ichigo Kurosaki, and soul society knew of Orihime's unique ability. I knew if she was captured, soul society and Ichigo Kurosaki would attempt to save her."

"A trap." Dante stated flatly. "But does he really think he can trap me?"

He then pulled out his sonic screwdriver and turned it on. Speaking into it, he said, "Azien!"

There was a pause as Dante's voice faded to nothing and then Azien replied in a tone that made you so sure he was smirking.

"Ah, hello Dante. I was surprised you had nothing to say until now."

"That's because you had nothing worth commenting on till now. Didn't I make it clear that the one thing you never put in a trap is me?"

"You did, but this is much bigger trap. And you can never get there in time to stop me?"

Dante chuckled. "You do realize who you're asking that too right? I'm a time traveler Azien, and you are nothing more then an idiot with an overinflated ego."

Azien replied, "Let's agree to disagree." He paused for a second then replied, "If you, by some miracle, manage to arrive in Karukara Town, I'll be waiting there. I'll show you a power you could never dream of."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Dante flicked off his screw driver and checked the Ultramatrix.

"He'll be leaving with Gin and Tosen now. Orihime will be left in the throne room and Ulquorria will be back from the parallel dimension he was sealed in. He'll be with Orihime now."

"Not for much longer." Ichigo said through gritted teeth. He vanished with flash step, heading towards Azien tower at high speed.

"Idiot!" Dante cursed. "Okay, I'm going after him, Tier, Nel, you come with me. Connor, take Rukia and Renji to mop up the execution squad, they're moving. And wake up Chad, you'll need him."

"Got it, now go!"

Nel, Tier, and Dante all vanished using sonido.

Ichigo was speeding towards the tower at high speed, ready to break in there and get Orihime back.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo snapped his head to see Dante and the others speeding towards him. Ichigo frowned and shouted, "I don't need your help! Go help the others!"

"Yeah, slight problem with that plan." Dante said as they pulled up beside him.

"And what's that?"

"I wasn't asking to come with, I'm telling."

Ichigo opened his mouth to argue and Dante said, "Look, I get you, I do. You think you need to do things on your own because you can't burden others with your problems. You also need to be able to he your friends and fix their problems. And you know what? I was the same way, long time ago."

Ichigo looked at Dante as they kept speeding towards the tower, which Dante looked at with a sober expression.

"I bottled up my emotions to not burden people with my problems, while I tried to fix theirs and take on the world. Still do every once and a while. But I've learned better since then. I can't do everything on my own. I'm still one person."

Dante looked at Ichigo and said, "Now, are we going to waste time debating this, or are we going to go save your girlfriend?"

Ichigo looked down in defeat, at least until all the sentence registered. Then he turned strawberry red.

"Hey, she is not my girlfriend!"

"Should be, you idiot! Now heads up, we have company!" He shouted as he drew his blade, Nel and Tier doing the same as Ichigo looked up. Standing at the base of the tower was a collection of people, most of them having human skulls as heads while the last had some sort of goat skull for a mask, maybe the leader, all of them having swords drawn.

The leader pointed at them and simplly said, "Attack."

Dante put on a burst of speed as the as they dashed towards them, swinging his dagger at ones neck as he passed by, then held a pose for a moment until he heard two thuds. One from the head, the other the body.

Tier was easily slicing left and right, Nel as well, but Ichigo wasn't interested in these foot soldiers and he needed to go up.

"Hey, Ichigo!"

He looked back to see Dante stabbing another fighter in the eye, dropping him, before looking at Ichigo and saying, "Going up!"

Dante leaped up, ready to ascend, but then the leader appeared in front and swing his blade, which Dante blocked with the hilt.

"Dante Price. For betraying Master Azien, you and your companions shall be put to death."

"Don't think so. Look that way." He said pointing with his thumb to the right.

The leader turned in time to see Renji's sword in whip form flying towards him. He disengaged to dodge as Dante looked down at Renji, his blade coiled back into his sword to block a slash.

Ichigo's oppentent was beheaded by him and he turned to see several others were charging him. He gritted his teeth and prepared to attack when...

"Second dance, white wave!"

A wave of white surged past Ichigo and engulfed all of his opponents. When it cleared, they were incased in solid ice.

He looked to see Rukia smiling at him before calling, "Head up, we've got this."

"Damn right we do!"

Dante snapped his head to see he was sparring with a soldier, but his blade wasn't even drawn. Instead, he was knocking the blade away by hitting its flat side with one arm before kicking the soldier once, twice, three times in the ribs, sending them into his lungs.

"El directo!"

Ichigo looked to see Chad sending out his blast attack to another group. He smiled at them all and looked up to see Dante waving and he shouted, "Hurry up!"

Ichigo crouched and pushed off, flying upwards and Dante joined him as they flew up and up. It took a minute, but Dante finally spotted a hole in the side and he pointed and shouted, "There!"

They both stopped at the hole and landed on the edge, rocks shifting underneath them and they both were greeted by a interesting sight.

Ulquorria was standing a fair distance from Orihime, who was looking slightly shaken but when she saw them, she looked relived and cried, "Ichigo, Dante!"

Ulquorria stared blankly at them and stated, "You arrived quicker then I anticipated."

"Really? Because we're actually..." Dante checked the Ultramatrix. "...20 seconds late. Ah well."

Ichigo was glaring at Ulquorria and wanted to attack him right now. Dante noticed and rummaged through his pocket for something and said, "Hey, Ichigo, give me your hand."

Ichigo, confused by this, asked, "Why?"

"Just something I wanted to give you before we fight him."

Confused, he nevertheless stuck out his right hand palm up. Dante whipped something out of his pocket and poked it into his hand, pulling a trigger which caused a hiss.

"Ow!" Ichigo pulled back his hand back and looked at it. His hand had a light red circle on it and as he looked at Dante, he was holding a futuristic looking injector.

"What the hell was that!?"

"Sorry about this Ichigo."

Dante swung his arm and hit him backwards outside of the tower. Ichigo reacted out of instinct and formed a platform of sprit energy, stopping him.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"You're not ready to fight him Ichigo. You're too emotional. Need some time to cool you head." Dante called over his shoulder as he put away the injector and drew Astrid.

"You don't have the right too..." He was cut off in mid shout as he felt his platform getting weaker and his foot broke through it. He pulled it out, but the platform was wearing like melting ice.

"Don't worry, just a little sedative to relax sprit energy control. It'll wear off in ten minutes." He then looked over his shoulder and flicked a salute at Ichigo. "See ya Ichigo."

"Dante!" Ichigo shouted before his platform was too weak to support him and he went falling to the ground rapidly.

Dante slid down the pile of rubble to the floor, skipping a little to get back his balance at the bottom, then he looked over to Ulquorria and Orihime, who was looking at Dante shocked at what he just did.

"So, Ulquorria, you're looking well." Dante said to break the ice.

"You claim you are on soul societies side, yet you reject the help of Ichigo Kurosaki and send him away?" Ulquorria asked.

"Well, Ichigo's a good kid, but he's not as experienced as he should be. Too emotionl right now. In fact, that's one thing I never let him forget when I met him the first time. But getting off track, point is that you would be a bad oppentent for him right now."

"You think you can fight me seriously Dante price? I've seen your speed, but even you can not keep up with me?" He said as he drew his sword.

"Try me. I've picked up some tricks." Dante challenged as he settled into a stance.

Ulquorria stared at him as Dante did the same while Orihime slowly edged away so was to not get caug in the cross fire.

Ulquorria vanished in a blur and appeared behind Dante, his sword ready to slice his neck as he swung. Dante was turning around as the sword descended before vanishing in a blur with sonido as well. Ulquorria's eyes widened slightly then snapped his head up as Dante appeared there and spun in mid air, splashing at Ulquorria's head. He blocked with his sword but Dante pulled with his sword hand and got behind Ulquorrial kicking at his head. Ulquorria ducked forward and braced his hand against the ground, kicking towards Dante. He got his feet under him and pushed off from Ulquorria's kick, sending him rocketing towards the ceiling. He braced his feet on it as he hit it, Ulquorria managing to get upright as Dante pushed off, speeding towards Ulquorria. Ulquorria blocked again, this time with his bare hand in his fist. Dante swung his legs forward and up, getting them around Ulquorria's neck from behind. He spun around once to build momentum, before leaning back and throwing Ulquorria with his legs, but he regained balance and skidded as Dante fell to the ground in a crouch facing Ulquorria. They both faced each other as Dante slowly rose from the ground.

"How are you able to use sonido?" Ulquorria asked from across the room. "You've shown spirit energy manipulation before, but no human can use sonido."

"Lucky for me I'm not human, isn't it?" Dante said cheerfully. "Plus, I said had some new tricks didn't I? This happens to be one of them."

Dante spun his dagger without looking as he said, "Here's new trick number two. Turn back the clock..."

He grabbed his dagger with it facing forwards as he finished the command.

"...Astrid."

His dagger activated then, the glow back to its normal, light blue. Now, not even Ulquorria could completely hide his shock at this. His eyes noticeably widened and he said in a slightly shocked voice, "A zanpakuto?"

"Yep. Awesome spirit and ability too."

'Thank you.' Astrid said in his head.

'You're welcome.' Dante replied.

"Let's see then." Ulquorria challenged as he charged towards Dante, stabbing forwards at super speed towards Dante's head. He kept up with it well, jerking his head just as fast to dodge every hit. Dante then noticed a build up of spirit energy outside the tower where they were and had to smirk.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Dante vanished with sonido as a wave of darkness came flying toward Ulquorria. He looked bored as he stopped the blast with his sword, then dispersed it with a swing.

Standing outside the hole from earlier and looking very pissed off, was Ichigo in Bankai state, floating mid air. Evidently, the sedative had worn off.

"Ichigo, nice of you to join us!" Dante said cheerfully. He couldn't help it, he had picked up the doctors habit of sounding cheerful when people were pissed at him.

"You, shut up. I'm still pissed at you for pulling that stunt earlier!" Ichigo shouted at him as he got next to Dante using flash step.

"In my defense, you were emotional and vulnerable earlier, now at least, you're pissed at me only. Correct?" Dante said with a smirk on his face.

Ichigo opened his mouth to argue, then closed it, frowned, looked away and grumbled, "Shut up."

Dante didn't say a thing, but Ulquorria interrupted their little chat by saying, "Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo looked back at Ulquorria as he stated, "You returned."

"I did." Ichigo replied flatly.

"Then you are even more foolish then I originally believed."

Ulquorria appeared in front of Ichigo and stabbed at Ichigo's head, but he dodged with ease. Ulquorria tried stabbing several times at high speed, but Ichigo was dodging with just as much ease, Dante watching from the side with the hole to his back, Orihime watching with wide eyes as well.

'I can see it.' Ichigo thought as he dodged. 'No, more then that, I'm reacting to it.'

The reason this was surprising to Ichigo was because the last time he had fought Ulquorria, it was like fighting a statue. He couldn't tell Ulquorria's reflexes, battle style, nothing. And that caused him to lose.

'Watch closely. Watch.' Ichigo thought as he waited for the right time. 'Watch.'

Ichigo grabbed Ulquorria's hand as it stabbed past him, causing his eyes to widen. Ichigo smirked as he said, "Getsuga Tensho!"

The slash was a blast against Ulquorria, shredding the front of his clothes. But when darkness dispersed, Ulquorria was almost unscathed, except for a small cut, barely more then a paper cut.

"Damn, thought it might do more damage then that. Your skin sure is hard." Ichigo commented.

Ulquorria stared at him as Ichigo added, "Bur, looks like I can read your movements better then before."

"What do you mean?" Ulquorria asked.

"When we fought before, I couldn't read you at all. Speed, offense, defense, reaction, reflexes, nothing. Like fighting a statue, or machine. Now I can though."

Dante frowned and thought through the mental link with Connor, 'Connor, send up Nel and Tier, I'm going to need their help soon.'

'Hang on.' Connor replied.

"But I have to question why." Ichigo went on. "Is it because I've become more like a hollow, or...because you've become more like a human?" Ichigo questioned with a confident smile.

Ulquorria stared at him for a minute before saying, "I've become more human, you say?"

Tier and Nel before appeared using sonido next to Dante. He looked at them both while pressing a finger to his lips

"He does have a point." Dante interjected. "It seems you've grown interested in humans ever since you forced Orihime here."

Ulquorria spared the briefest of glances at them before looking back at Ichigo.

"So, it must be that great a pleasure, is it?"

Ichigo looked confused as Ulquorria started releasing more spirit energy and said, "It must feel good to be able to follow me, even if it's just at this level."

Ichigo started sweating as Ulquorria vanished, only to reappear in an instant just above Ichigo, his sword swinging down at his head.

The sword hit, causing a clouds of dust and some fair sized debries to rise. Ichigo came flying backwards out of the cloud, a new cut over his eye. Ulquorria blurred into existence behind him, but Ichigo saw it and swung his blade back. Ulquorria was too fast though, and the next thing Ichigo knew, he was behind him again, swinging his blade at his head. Ichigo whirled, but would be too slow to stop the blow. Dante held up a hand as the two girls showed every sign of interfering, stopping them, as the blade descended. Only to be be blocked by a golden shield. Ichigo's eyes widened as the shield broke, but the attack had stopped as everyone looked to the only person who could have made the shield.

Orihime.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

"What are you doing?"

Ulquorria was the first to speak as the shield was dispersing into nothing after he had shattered it.

"Huh?" Orihime said in confusion.

"I'm asking, why did you help him?" Ulquorria stated again.

"Because, he's..."

"Because he's your friend?" He interrupted. "But, then why didn't you shield him from the first blow? Why did you hesitate?"

Dante frowned and slowly flipped Astrid so the blade was facing forwards.

"I'll tell you why. It's because..."

Dante then vanished with sonido and slashed at Ulquorria, who blocked without looking. He glanced out of the corner of his eye as their blades remained locked and said, "It's unlike you Dante, to charge in like this."

Dante was pushed back and flipped from the force before landing and replied.  
"Well, I think Ichigo would agree with me when I say we don't need to hear your little speech about hesitation, since it's just a mind game. Though I'm sincerely surprised. When we first met, you were the silent type."

Ichigo smirked as he grabbed his sword with both hands. "I was thinking the same thing. Inoue."

She looked at Ichigo and his gaze softened slightly. "Thanks for the shield, but just...keep yourself safe."

She looked down and nodded slowly, looking a bit ashamed to have interfered. But she did back up to a wall as asked, which, Dante noticed, had a paper thin line on it. His eyes narrowed and thought, 'I'm missing something.'

But Ichigo distracted him by creating a large Getsuga Tensho, looking ready to fire it.

"A Getsuga? Haven't you learned they aren't effective y..." He was cut off as Ichigo didn't fire off the Getsuga, but charged forward, keeping the blast in his blade.

Ulquorria blocked the attack while thinking, 'He kept the energy in the blade so it would be a sword slash with Getsuga Tensho's power behind it. Creative.'

"But not enough." Ulquorria slashed again, dispersing the energy before they started trading blows quickly.

Orihime was now standing close to the wall with her back towards it as the battle went on, looking worringly at Ichigo as she did. Dante suddenly snapped his head towards her. 'Something's not right. I feel something.'

No sooner then he formed this thought, the entire wall swung backwards silently, with four hands reaching out of the shadows towards Orihime.

"Shit!" Dante grunted. He had forgotten two people. Orihime was just aware as two hands grabbed her arms while another one held her mouth and wrenched her head around to see one person. Loly. And she looked crazed as she muttered something to Orihime that caused her to look fearful.

"Let her go Loly!" Dante shouted at loly and Menoly. They both looked up, surprised they had been spotted as Dante charged forwards at high speed. Ichigo had heard Dante's shout and turned at the same time. Seeing her predicament, he also rushed to try and rescue Orihime.

"Stop or I'll pluck out her eye!" Loly shouted, but Ichigo and Dante didn't slow. They would make it in time.

Only Ichigo was stopped as Ulquorria appeared in front of the group and slashed. Ichigo blocked and shouted in anger, "Out of the way!"

"Then defeat me." He retorted as they started trading blows again.  
Loly and Menoly had been so put off by he Ulquorria's safe that they didn't see Dante until he was kicking them both away, flying backwards and hitting the ground hard.

"Are you all right?" Dante asked as he looked her over.

Orihime nodded slowly. From what Dante could see, her clothes were only ripped while she had been unharmed.

Dante whirled around and punched seemingly empty air, stopping Loly who had been trying to get close to sonido. The punch hit Loly right beneath the rib cage, sending a whoof of breath and sliding to the ground.

"Leave her alone Loly. Or you're answering to me." Dante growled.

"That little bitch needs to be knocked off her pedestal." Loly shouted back. "And you need to die for betraying Azien you freak!"

Loly shouted in pain and clutched her side. Tier and Nel we standing in front of Dante now, both blades stained red on side.

"Loly!" Menoly shouted as she rushed to her friends sides.

"Talk to Dante like that again..." Tier said in a low tone.

"...and you will receive much worse." Nel finished in the same tone.

Loly looked at her side to see two slashes forming an X on her skin, not too deep.

"Nel, Tier, take care of Orihime." Dante said looking down at the floor with narrowed eyes. "We have company."

They heard rumble and the room started shaking until the ground behind Loly first cracked, then burst outwards like an explosion reveling...Yammy.

His entrance caused all battles to stop for the moment while Nel and Tier both readied their blades. Yammy got through and got a look around. He then smirked when he spotted Ulquorria and said, "Hey Ulquorria. Came to help."

"I never asked for help from you Yammy." Ulquorria stated.  
Ichigo was frozen as he realized this was the other Arrancar from before. But he seemed...bigger.

"Ah, don't be like that. Seems like the kid has gotten a little stronger. Let me try him."

Ulquorria looked Yammy over.

"I see. You've recovered completely. But like I said before, you're helps not needed. Either go back to sleep or go clean up the shinigami captains that got here."

"Ah, don't be so stingy Ulquorria." Yammy said in a friendly tone. Then he stopped and looked around, instantly spotting Menoly and Loly, both looking scared. Yammy swung his arm and backhanded Menoly carelessly, sending her flying and smashing through a wall outside the tower.

"Menoly!" Loly shouted in fear. Dante reacted in an instant and sonido'd out, grabbing Menoly and brining her back in, settling her in a corner and quickly looking her over. She had a broken arm, three fractured ribs, and sever bruising. She would need medical attention, but he couldn't provide that now.

Yammy was leaning over Loly and smirking as he asked, "What are two rats like you doing here? You're in the way, so why don't you just...die?"

Yammy reached forwards to grab Loly, but Dante sonido'od in front of him and lightly pressed the tip of his dagger into Yammy's hand, stopping him.

"I wouldn't try that if I was you." Dante said in a voice that the others hadn't heard him use. It was dark, powerful, and his eyes showed centuries of power and knowledge. It reminded them of some sort of storm.

"Dante. Good to see you, but I think I heard you say you betrayed Azien, so, what do you say to a fight or two?" Yammy said with a wide smile.

"Poision, Escolopendra!"

Everyone turned around to see Loly had gone into her released state. She had taken on the form of a centipede-like creature, her mask grown and covering both of her cheeks. She had armor over her legs, arms, breasts, and neck, while her arms now had the form of two long centipede-like creatures, which were sending out a liquid that sizzled and melted whatever it touched.

"You will all die here by my poision!" Loly shouted as she started shooting liquid towards them. Everyone dodged with ease, Yammy getting close easily and smashing his fist down on her like a bug. Loly grunted while blood started flowing from her mouth. Yammy picked her up with ease, keeping her arms pinned and unable to move as he lifted her up and said in a bored tone,

"That's it? I expected more even from you."

"Damn it... Taken down...by trash like you..." Loly spat out hatefully.

"Hhmm?" Yammy questioned before smashing through the wall. He held Loly outside as he said in a singsong tone, "I can't hear~ you."

Loly didn't respond as her head rolled loosly, apparently knocked out.

"That's really it?" Yammy snorted. "How boring." He grumbled as he let go of Loly, who quickly began falling out of sight.

"That's it."

Everyone looked to Dante, who unlike earlier didn't seem angry. Now, he was smirking at Yammy.

"You really that confident Dante? Care to test your luck?" Yammy challenged.

"No, times up. Because someone's making a come back." Dante checked the Ultramatrix and said, "In 3...2...1."

They heard the flapping of cloth as Uryu appeared outside the hole Yammy just made, an arrow cocked in his bow. Yammy whirled as Uryu fired it at Yammy, hitting him in the shoulder. The force of it forced Yammy forwards onto the ground as Uryu landed on the inside of the tower. But Yammy instantly got to his feet in rage and spun, rushing towards him while shouting, "Who the fuck are you?"

"That much power and it still didn't pierce you? Not bad." Uryu noted over his shoulder. But he said as Yammy was about to take another step forwards,

"But, it might be good to watch your step."

Dante smirked and quickly brought out some sunglasses before it happened. An explosion of flame from underneath Yammy, like a pillar of fire that was at least 15 feet across and it came from underneath the floor.

"That mad scientist gave me a special anti-Arrancar mine before I left." Uryu said as the floor gave out under Yammy, but he managed to grab the edge of the hole by one hand, his clothes and skin burned slightly.

"You bastard..." Yammy growled as she tried to hold on.

"You must be the Yammy that Szayel mentioned earlier." Uryu said without turning around.

"What if I am?" Yammy demanded.

"Too bad Uryu came by. Guess our fight will have to wait till later."

Yammy suddenly felt a sharp pain across his fingers as Dante sliced with Astrid and he let go out of instinct.

"Ciao." Dante said with a two fingered salute.

"You bastarrrrrrrrreeeeeeeddddd..." Yammy shouted as he fell through the hole and then down and down and down, through every other floor.

Dante leaned over the hole and winced every time there heard a crack, which happened three or four times before Dante whistled and said, "Nice going Uryu. You broke the pillars on every floor as you came up?"

"Yes. Took a while too."

"I believe it. Looks like Chuckles patched you up pretty well." Dante noted with a quick look over. Indeed, Uryu didn't look like he was injured at all and even his clothes were fixed. No, wait a moment...

"Oh crap. Don't tell me you actually brought a back up cape."

Uryu frowned and simply looked away, though Dante did see a slight blush.

"Dude, get a freaking hobby besides sewing. Or better yet, a girlfriend." Dante snorted. Ichigo chuckled. After Uryu kept annoying him, it was nice to see him humiliated now.

"Right, getting back to things. Nel, Tier, please keep Orihime safe, while Ichigo and I both take care of Ulquorria." Dante asked them in a conversational tone. Both of them nodded and instantly used sonido to appear next to her and help her to her feet. Her clothing were slightly ripped and she had a few bruises, but nothing time couldn't fix.

"Meanwhile, Ulquorria, Ichigo."

Both turned towards him and Dante jerked a thumb at the hole in the wall and said simply, "Going up and out."

Ulquorria narrowed his eyes and said, "Very well. I shall show you my full power."

He vanished and Dante turned to Ichigo, saying seriously, "Ichigo, when were fighting him, keep a calm head. Don't blink, not even for a second." Dante couldn't help but think of how that phrase applied to another creature as well, but ignored it for the time being.

"Have your hollow mask on for the whole time. And don't, stop pressing him. Understood?"

Ichigo nodded and Dante said, "Then let's go."

Dante lifted off the floor and flew out off the hole while Ichigo followed, both rapidly ascending while the others ran to the hole to watch them go, Orihime looking worried. Nel and tier were too, but they hid it better as Dante and Ichigo went through the hole.

Ichigo and Dante both landed on top of the dome and looked up, Ichigo slipping on his mask as he did so. Ulquorria was standing on a pillar high above them, his back to the crescent moon, and ready to fight as he stated,

"Are you both prepared to die?"

"Nobody's dying today Ulquorria. Not even you." Dante stated before saying,

"Turn back the clock Astrid."

Ichigo was holding his sword both both hands as he growled, "What are you waiting for?"

'If I'm right, and I'm rarely wrong, he's about to release him self.' Dante thought.

"Observe." Ulquorria stated as he rose his blade. "Enclose, Murciélago."  
A blast of air was blown back while black flames with a hint of green in them.

The flames then exploded outwards like a dark rain, as his spirit pressure increased enormously, unlike anything Ichigo had felt before. Dante had felt power several times higher, but it was formidable nevertheless.

Ulquorria was now in the same state as earlier, looking much more like a vampire then before.

"Don't blink."

Ichigo got into a more secure stance as Ulquorria stated, "Don't blink, lower your awareness for a second. Keep you reflexes sharp. And observe..."  
Ulquorria started forming an green lance from earlier and said, "...The gap in our powers."

The next thing Ichigo knew, Ulquorria was at his neck and about to decapitate him. Ichigo's eyes widened and was about to unleash a Getsuga Tensho on instinct, but before he could, Dante was was kicking Ulquorria away from Ichigo, sending him skidding to the side.

"You all right?" Dante asked, not taking his eyes from Ulquorria.  
Ichigo's was too shocked to reply as he tried to contemplate what just happened. Ulquorria had been fast, too fast for him to see in hollowfied state?

"Ichigo, get your head out of your ass and wake up!"

Ichigo jumped as Ulquorria was charging again and wanted was blocking him from getting to Ichigo, trading blows at super high speed with the blades whistling and the air howling as they clashed. Ichigo cursed himself for freezing and flash stepped behind him, Dante getting out of ten way as Ichigo shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!"

The blast of darkness engulfed the fourth Espada with ease. Ichigo hopped it might have damaged him, but then they spotted a green slash through the wave, splitting it in half to reveal him to be completely unharmed.

"No way. You're not injured?" Ichigo said in disbelief.

"Your strength has increased, but nothing worthy of note. Though that attack, it's similar to our own Ceros."

"Cero? Don't comprehend my attack to that shit." Ichigo growled out.

"Ichigo, now would be a really good time to swallow you pride and shut up. He's baiting you." Dante warned while slowly moving his hand to the Ultramatrix. He knew what was coming and needed something ready to block it.

"You've never seen a fully powered cero before have you?" The bat like espada asked while raising two fingers.

"Ichigo..." Dante said in a warning tone.

"Then allow me to show you my cero."  
Ulquorria's credo quickly charged, a ball of night, as he state, "Cero ouscuors."

Dante rapidly ran through the list of power at his disposal and finally found a picture of two circles on either side of a stick figure.

"Got it!" He shouted as he slammed the dial, just as Ulquorria fired his cero at Ichigo. He remained frozen as the wave of darkness born down on him until Dante appeared in front with sonido, sheathed Astrid, and held both arms up palms out and teeth gritted as the attack apparently hit.

The emotionless espada waited until the attack was pass while thinking, 'Why didn't he block that attack? What power did he choose now?'

The attack passed as Dante and Ichigo were fine, but Dante hunched over and panted heavily, sweating profusely.

"Dante, you alright?" Ichigo quickly helped Dante stand and asked, "Why'd you do that? I wasn't worth it."

"What...and leave...you...to take...the hit?" Dante panted out.

"Pointless."

The two looked up to see the fourth espada looking bored as he asked, "You apparently used an enormous amount of energy simply to block my attack, yet you achieved nothing but a minute to live."

Dante grinned through his exhaustion and said, "Who said I blocked the attack?"

Ulquorria cocked his head, curious what Dante meant.

"Hey, Ulquorria." Dane called while holding out his right palm at him. "I think this is yours!"

Dante's hand glowed green around the edges and Ulquorria heard a sound behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see a hole in space, edged with green and pitch black. He heard a rushing sound that sounded familiar, then the Espada's eyes widened in shock as he spotted a hint of green in the black. From the hole rushed out Ulquorria's cero, crashing into him from behind and below.

Dante smirked at the sight and commented, "Like the saying goes, 'what goes around come around.'"

Down below, the girls and Uryu were looking up at the dome, Tier and Nel with 'calm' faces, Uryu collected, and Orihime with a worried face. They heard a massive explosion and finally Orihime couldn't stand it.

"Uryu, please take me to the top." Orihime pleaded as she turned to look at him. Everyone looked at her, surprised that anyone had spoken.

"Orihime..." Uryu said hesitantly.

"Uryu, please. I...I need to do this. I need to know." Orihime said with wide eyes.

Tier and Nel smiled faintly. Both could clearly see Orihime cared for Ichigo deeply, and she would do anything to be by his side.

Uryu knew better then to argue as well and sighed while thinking, 'Don't make me regret this Ichigo.'

"Okay. Hang on a minute."

Uryu held out his hand and concentrated. Several small scraps of white light started forming in the air before they combined into a platform the right size for two people. Uryu waved his hand and brought it close enough to step on, which he did. Orihime timidly followed him on, unsure, but the platform held. He looked back to the others apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, but this is the largest platform I can make."

"Don't be. We can get up on our own." Nel said in a kind voice before looking to Tier and nodded, which she returned. They both glared at the hole in the sky and vanished with sonido, not wasting any time. Dante needed them.

Back with Dante and Ichigo, Dante was starting to get his breath as the cero he had redirected at ulquorria was clearing to show he was now moderately damaged, his clothes torn, some skin burned and in a few places burning. But he showed no discomfort, merely looked curiously at Dante and asked, "What was that power? You showed nothing like it before?"

"I haven't shown even an eighth of my powers at my disposal. But since you're so curious, let's see if you can't guess. Observe."

Dante pointed at his feet and his hand glowed again, but this time it was a red glow. A red rimmed hole opened at his feet and he fell inside, the hole closing behind him.

Ulquorria looked surprised. Dante's spirit energy had completely vanished.

"Think. What power could this be?" He cast his mind back to when Dante had redirected his cero, but before he could think, Ichigo was behind him with flash step, his sword swinging with his hollow mask on. Ulquorria blocked with his bare hand, not looking. Ichigo looked shocked and Ulquorria kicked behind him, slamming into Ichigo's stomach. He coughed out blood then went flying from the shock wave. He hit the roof and went sliding across hit, groaning along the way with every hit.

"Pathetic." Ulquorria said as he created another lance. Before he could launch it, he heard something behind him, some sort of a breeze. He looked over his shoulder to see another portal behind him, this one green around the edges like before. His eyes widened and tried to move out of the way, but he was too slow as Dante flashed out, slicing out a chunk of Ulquorria's side as he did, right between the ribs. Dante spun in mid air skidded back, stopping next to Ichigo as he stood up.

"You all right?" Dante asked, not taking his eyes from Ulquorria.

"Fine. But I don't see how we can take him down. He's too fast and strong for meas he is now."

"Don't know. And my ability is taxing. We need to..."

Dante felt something and looked down saying, "Hhmm?"

He heard two tell tale signs of sonido, as did Ulquorria. He turned then instantly ducked forward as a sword sliced at his head, only to flip backwars when another tried to slice him from behind.

Dante saw the both movements and smiled widely. "Nice to see you two decided to join us."

Tier and Nel both papered in front of Dante with their backs to him, smiling while not looking away from Ulquorria.

"We got worried. Decided to chip in. You don't mind?" Nel asked.

"Not at all. This ability was too taxing to use alone anyways."

"So, two more traitors to Master Azien decided to join." Ulquorria stated as he stood up.

"You cannot beat us Ulquorria. You failed to defeat me, with Nel and Dante here as well, you know you cannot win."

"I beg to differ."

Dante narrowed his eyes, as Tier and Nel did. They knew Ulquorria wasn't one to act like this, not unless he was confident he could win no matter what. But they had no choice, they had to end this now.

"Then you leave us no choice." Nel stated as she held her sword horizontalaly in front of her while Tier held her blade down. Nel's sword started glowing pink and producing faint pink smoke as she said, "Declare, Gamuza."  
Nel was covered in a blast of pink smoke as her spirit pressure skyrocketed, while at the same time Tier said, "Destroy, Tiburón!"

Two blasts of water came from behind Tier, looking like a heart before they closed clam like around her, swirling rapidly before a familiar hire sword tip came from the middle and slashed down, dispersing the water allowing her to step out in her released state while the smoke around Nel also dispersed to show her new form.

Nel had the form of a brownish-green ibex-like centaur, complete with a black horse's tail. Her Hollow mask's horns were longer and more curved, and also extended slightly, framing the sides of her face, particularly the cheeks. Her shoulders were covered by white spaulders that come across her shoulder blade to her neck, complete with white elbow guards and white gauntlets. The parts of her arm that weren't covered by armor hadcovered by a black material, which also covered her hands, clenching Gamuza which had transformed into a double-sided lance.

"Nice look Nel." Dante complimented in an impressed voice. "Very impressive."

She smiled and felt pleased Dante approved of how she looked, but then her face hardened and she sank slightly to ready for battle, Tier doing the same. Dante noticed and thought, 'Hmmm. My powers drained considerable from using this ability. Better stop for the time being and stick with hand to hand combat.' Dante tapped the Ultramatrix dial and felt his portal powers become sealed again for the time being.

"Okay, Nel, get in close, Tier, use some long range attacks for now, Ichigo and I will support Nel."

"Got it." Tier replied as she kneeled down then jumped up, stopping twenty feet a over he dome.

"Ichigo, you ready?" Dante asked as he held Astrid pointed forwards.

"Yeah." Ichigo after gulping, his grip tightening. Dante noticed and said sharply, "Ichigo!"

He jumped and looked at Dante, who smiled brightly and said, "Just relax. We'll be fine if we work together."

Ichigo looked at Dante and smiled under his mask, his grip relaxing. Dante was right. He couldn't afford to get nervous. He needed to support the group and attack with his head clear. He turned back feeling reassured.

"Go!"

Nel vanished with sonido and reappeared in front of the pale espada, stabbing forwards towards his chest. Ulquorria grabbed the lance before it could perice.

"You are too slow." Ulquorria stared.

"Or is she just distracting you?"

Ulquorria felt two slices across his back. He hissed and looked over his shoulder to see Dante smirking before he shouted, "Ichigo, now!"

"Getsuga..."

Ulquorria looked up to see Ichigo was soaring down towards them, arm cocked back and a massive Getsuga Tensho ready to fire, as large as an air plane wing.

"...Tensho!"

He slashed downwards at Ulquorria, Nel yanking her weapon free and using sonido to get away. Ulquorria held up both hands and stopped the attack dead on, the force of it making him sink into the roof, cracking, but Ulquorria forced the attack away from him by shoving upwards, redirecting the force away to the dessert, where it exploded with the force of several tons of TNT.

"La Gota!"

Several blasts of water hit him from behind, sending him flying forwards.

"Wait a minute. I can use that!" Dante shouted, sheathing Astrid and twisting the dial on the Ultramatrix to a picture of a trident, slamming the dial, then when he felt the power rush through him. He rose his hand at the water and waved his hands, bending the water like ribbons.

He surrounded Ulquorria from all sides with the water, then clenched his fists, collapsing it and trapping him in a orb of water.

"Tier, boil it!" Dante shouted, his fists shaking to try and keep Ulquorria from escaping from the water prison.

"Hirviendo!" Tier shouted, pointing her swords at the orb.  
Ulquorria shouted in pain as the water instantly turned scolding hot, even thorough his heirro. Of course, the shout caused him to lose all his air.

"Nel, use a long range attack and finish this!" Dante shouted.

"Done." Nel said as she lifted her lance, looking ready to throw it as she said,

"Lanzador Verde."

She then threw her lance then, at an extremely high speed, the lance spinning as it went, going faster and faster, almost like a drill. It plunged into the orb of water, going through with ease, and struck Ulquorria, pushing him out at high speed while the lance drilled gainst his heirro, pricing it and making a hole about three inches deep near his stomach, until it stopped.  
Ulquorria fell forwards and panted, grimacing slightly as he grabbed the lance and pulled it out, a spurt of blood following it, then threw it aside as he held his other hand to the wound.

"You're defeated Ulquorria." Nel said as she appeared out of nowhere with sonido, grabbing her lance before it hit the ground.

"Surrender, and we'll spare your life." Tier stated.

Dante frowned. This didn't feel right. Ulquorria had clearly shown signs of having something up his sleeve, but this wasn't it. He tapped his temple rapidly while thinking of what he knew about Ulquorria, including some stuff he knew when he had read some of the manga back in his universe.

"I suppose it time to stop holding back." Ulquorria grunted as he got to his feet.

'Holding back... Come on, it's staring me in the face, what am I missing!?' Dante shouted in his head.

Tier and the others were confused as to what Ulquorrria meant, Ichigo feeling a familiar feeling of dred and foreboding in his stomach.

"I have not be honest with you Tier."

This confused Tier, not sure what he meant.

"I have not shown you my true power yet."

This caused everyone's eyes to widen except Dante, who almost had what was searching for, it was right on the tip of his tounge.

"Behold, my second released state."

As soon as he said that, it clicked in Dante's mind. He turned pale and thought the only thing that came to mind.

'Oh fuck.'

Darkness rose and swirled around Ulquorria, shrouding him in night nd hiding him. They all felt something happening, an enormous change and something else, something that they all knew. They knew this feeling of fighting a superior predator.

The darkness slid down Ulquorria like black water, slowing revealing his new and horrible form.

While he retained his black wings, his long white coat was gone, revealing aslender white torso, with his bare chest patterned so his Hollow hole (which had become larger) appeared to be dripping black, blood-like liquid. His waist was covered in something similar to black fur, which enveloped his arms and legs. His fingers now had claw-like extensions, and his feet resembled talons. The irises of his eyes were now a sickly yellow, and the sclera a light green. The tear-like marks under his eyes had increased in size and turned black, while Ulquiorra's mask was completely gone. He had two large bat ears, and the #4 Espada tattoo was no longer visible on his chest.

"Look upon the face of true despair."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Down below, everyone was moping up the remaining soilders that were left while Rukia was taking care of the captain in his released state.  
Connor wiped his brow and looked up, squinting against the light.

"Ok, looks like Uryu and Orihime are getting to the hole, but feels like Dante and the others have wrapped it up."

"Like we thought. He's no match for Tier and the others." Appaci said in a cocky tone, smirking at the ceiling.

"Just hope they didn't get injured to bad." Sung-Sun said in a worried voice.

"Don't worry." Connor put a hand on her shoulder. "They'll be fine, they won't get hurt..."

He was cut off as they felt an enormous pressure fall on them, driving Sung-Sun and the others to their knees while Connor staggered slightly. They all looked up at the dome with wide eyes as Mila-Rose stuttered out, "What...what is this? This...spirit pressure?"

'Spirit pressure? No, that's not right.' Connor thought. 'This pressure is too much to be spirit pressure. Too dense, too feels like an actual ocean is over our heads.'

Connor pressed two fingers to his temple and sent through the psychic link, 'Dante, what's happening? Dante. Dante!' Connor shouted through the link when there was no response.

_Back at the top of the dome_

"Segunda Etapa. The second released state." Ulquorria stated. "Of all the espada, I am the only one to have achieved this state."

Everyone except Dante was looking shocked at Ulquorria new form. A second level of released state? Something like that was possible? When and how did he get something like this?

Ulquorria vanished without even a blur, getting behind Tier in a split second. They all whirled around shock as the newly transformed Cuatro Espada crouching low, a fist cocked as he said, "Now you will see why I choose to remain the fourth espada."

Dante vanished and tried to kick Ulquorria away with a kick to the head, but Ulquorria grabbed it with ease. He grunted at the tightness if the grip and tried to yank it out, but it wouldn't budge, leaving him standing on one leg. Then the emo espada whipped his to the side, making him collide with Tier and sending them both flying.

Nel tried to move to catch them, but Ulquorria got in the wave and backhanded her, sending her tumbling and rolling over the roof.

Ichigo was shocked. Three superior fighters, all taken down in a matter of minutes.

Dante grunted and flipped himself over, landing in a crouch. He drew Astrid and activated her power, then quickly tapped the Ultramatrix and spoke into it.  
"Activate temporary master control, time limit, 1 hour."

The Ultramatrix beeped and said in a computerized version of his voice, "Command confirmed, time limit activated."

Dante helped Tier to her feet and said, "He's too fast, give me some time to measure his strength. But try some long range attacks, maybe he'll slip up."

"Got it." Tier said, pressuring her side to reduce the pain.

Ichigo snapped out of his shock and decided to try and get the drop on Ulquorria. He instantly put on his mask and tried to use flash step, his sword raised to slash him from behind.

Ulquorrria looked over his shoulder boredly and whipped his tail around, grabbing Ichigo by the arm and yanking it, causing a sickening pop and Ichigo to shout in pain as he felt his arm slide from it's shoulder socket.

"Too slow."

He felt something scrape along his front and looked to see Dante had tried to slash him, but his heirro was too tough.

"Hard skin. Let's try this then." Dante noted before making his hand a claw, red electricity cracklings through the air as Dante made an orb of red light, forming as he shoved it forwards, sticking it to Ulquorria's face. He grunted and rose a hand to try and dislodge it while Dante channeled electricity into Astrid's blade, then vanished and slashed Ulquorria's tail, drawing a little blood, and causing enough of a shock it released out of instinct. Dante grabbed Ichigo by his robes and pointed at the ground, his hand glowing green and opening a hole in space again, which they fell in just as the ball of light he had made exploded like a grenade.

Dante and Ichigo appeared a couple yards away, coming out and Ichigo shouting in pain as he hit the ground on his injuried arm. Dante pulled him up and lightly touched his arm, causing him to hiss in pain.

"Ok, he pulled it out of its socket, but I can put it back."

"Won't that hurt?" Ichigo asked sarcasticly.

"No, just look that way and clear your mind." Dante said jerking his head to the side while he got a better grip on Ichigo's arm.

"What good is that-AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ichigo shouted in pain as Dante popped the arm back into place with a loud and sickening pop.

"See what I did? I lied." Dante said with a small smile.

"I really hate you." Ichigo growled out in low voice while waiting for the pangs of pain to stop.

"No you don't. Here..." Dante pulled another injector from his hoodie and moved to put it on Ichigo's shoulder.

"No, you keep that thing away from me, I do not trust you." Ichigo said flash stepping twenty feet away.

Dante gave him a look and pointed to his right, his hand glowing red and a small hole opened. He stuck his hand through and the next thing Ichigo knew, he heard a hiss behind him and felt something sting his shoulder before the pain faded completely. He looked over his shoulder to see Dante's hand holding the injector coming from the green rimmed hole before it pulled back and the hole closed.

"Never try to outrun someone with portal powers, you'll never win." Dante said wisely sticking the injector back in his hoodie, then looked around to see what was going on.

Ulquorria was using his speed to dodge all the attacks that Tier was trying to send at him while Nel was trying to get close.

Dante groaned in frustration and said out loud, "Ok, what the hell do I have that can help here?"

He looked at the Ultramatrix and tried to think of what he had. He used electricity, portal powers, water manipulation, what else did he have that could slow Ulquorria down?

"Wait. Speed. Speed is due to the relation between the body and...oh, I'm a genius." Dante said with a smile.

"That's debatable." Ichigo muttered before he felt a smack to the head along with, "I heard that smart ass."

Dante focused on the power he wanted and lifted his hands, pointing them at the pale espada, his hands rippling the air around them.

Said espada was about to finish off the two opponents when he noticed something. The air around his body was rippling like water. He looked to see Dante was doing something, his hands rippling just like the air was, and he was smiling widely. Ulquorria narrowed his eyes and decided to take him out before it became a problem.

He used sonido to get in front of Dante, his hand pulled back to plunge it into his stomach. Dante didn't move except to furrow his brow, concentrating even more before he fully unleashed his power.

Ulquorria grunted and fell to his knees, suddenly feeling a massive weight on his entire body as the dome underneath him cracked.

"What the...?" Tier and the others gawked in shock.

"Not so easy to move now is it?" Dante asked as his hands stopped rippling and stuck them in his hoodie pockets.

Ulquorria managed to get to his feet, but was swaying and standing like he was drunk as Ichigo asked, "What the heck did you do to him?"

"Not much, just increased his personal gravity 25 times over. Now his body weight is about 3025 pounds."

"And why couldn't you have used this earlier!?" Ichigo demanded.

"You have any idea how hard it is to focus gravity to that extent, let alone maintain it? I'm mentally straining myself right now, berry boy!" Dante said in an annoyed toned.

"I'm..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just shut up and let's finish this." Dante said cutting Ichigo off with a wave of his hand.

He went to Ulquorria who was still making a struggle to stand up straight under the gravity.

"So, you'll go back on your word and kill me?" Ulquorria asked calmly.

"No, I'm not. But you will be rendered uncouncious and imprisioned on my ship until we have time to talk." Dante spoke while focussing his powers on one of his hands, creating a ripple of air, but this time he was focusing gravity outwards from his hand to increase his strength and power.

He rose his hand to deliver the blow while Ulquorria thought furiously, trying to think of a way out of this predicament, when he thought of something.  
Dante hureled down his fist to knock out Ulquorria, but just as it was about to hit, the Cuatro Espada unleashed his spirit energy to the fullest, then vanished in burst of speed.

Everyone's eyes widened as Dante's hit missed, crushing in a part of the dome and causing a spiderweb of cracks before it caved, a 20 foot wide and 15 foot long crevice.

They all then looked upwards to see the pale espada standing above them, but the rippling air around him had calmed considerable, now looking like it was barely there.

"Dante, why did you lower the gravity on him?!" Ichigo demanded in anger.

They had just been about to finish him off.

"I didn't."

Ichigo looked at Dante who was looking at the pale espada in shock and surprise.

"He countered my power. But how, how did you do that?" Dante mused, looking at Ulquorria with just a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"You're aware of a feeling when you unleash massive amounts of spirit energy, are you not?" Ulquorria asked.

"Yes...oh, yes! Oh, that is brilliant." Dante complimented.

"Care to explain?" Ichigo asked in an irritated tone, not pleased Dante just complimented their enemy.

"Spirit energy in large amounts have the side effect of making gravity feel like it's increased on people, but what Ulquorria is doing is unleashing his spirit energy to such a degree, it's acting like a counter weight against my powers."

"Like two weights on a scale." Tier muttered, seeing the idea.

"Precisely. Though I'm surprised he had enough to make it so he could move to this degree. It shows how much power he really has." Dante said in tired tone. Something was coming, and he wouldn't be able to stop it. A fixed point in time, one that would cause a enormous amount of pain.

"Now..." Ulquorria rose his hand and started forming a black cero again. "...I believe it is time to stop restraining myself."

He fired the cero at them and Dante reacted in an instant, creating a portal in front of term to absorb it, but he was struggling.

'Damn it. In order to absorb energy, I need to sacrifice the same amount of energy from my body, but this cero is denser then the previous ones!'

Then Dante was aware of something as the cero passed them. A presence behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see the pale espada was standing among their group!

Tier and Nel both reacted in an instant, swinging or stabbing towards Ulquorria depending on weapon, but he dodged both by sinking downwards into a crouch, leving an after image as he did. Then he braved both arms over his head and stated, "You shall not be a nunicanse anymore." Before he tightened his grip until two sharp cracks were heard, follow by several smaller ones in rapid succession.

Both Nel and Tier screamed in pain. Ulquorria hadn't just broken their wrists, he had gripped until both hands were barely connected, and the bones in their wrists were close to dust and shards.

He kicked both of them away with ease, then ducked backwards as Dante fired off several lighting bolts using his electric powers. Dante growled in frustration. His energy was down from absorbing that cero, he couldn't replenish it fast enough to fight like he needed to. And he was sure Ulquorria knew it because he wasn't even bothering to dodge his strikes, but taking them square on the chest without flinching, then he knocked one blast aside before getting in close and slamming his fist into Dante's stomach, causing him to cry in pain while coughing out blood and collapsing in a heap.

Ichigo was shocked. Their best fighters taken down in seconds, all with deadly blows or injuries. Ichigo gripped his sword and tried to flash step towards him, but Ulquorria vanished before the hit could happen. He then felt something thin wrap around his neck quickly and tightly lifting him up and turning him to face Ulquorria.

"You were considered to be of intrest to Master Azien, but I fail to see why. It's time to finish you off regardless." Ulquorria lifted his fingers to point directly at Ichigo's chest, readying himself to fire.

Dante struggled to his feet. His wounds were healing thanks to his healing factor, but not fast enough for him help.

He heard foot steps and looked over to the hole he had opened earlier to see Uryu and Orihime were coming out of it, the platform he had made disintegrating as they stepped off. They spot everyone instantly.

"Dante!" Orihime cried, running towards him and kneeling beside him, Uryu right behind her.

"Are you alright?" Uryu asked, but Orihime interrupted before he could answer with, "Where's Ichigo?"

"There." Dante pointed weakly towards Ulquorria and Ichigo. They both looked to see the sight of Ichigo battered as he was and hanging like a man hung from a noose.

"I...Ichigo?" Orihime asked in stunned disbelief. Dante manged to sit up a bit as his wounds were close to healed while ulquorria looked at them, particularly Orihime and said, "So, you've arrived girl. And just in time."

He started charging his cero, the ball growing quickly. "Now you can watch as the man you put your faith in, lose his life."

"No!" Orihime shouted. But it made no difference as the cero was fired, going straight through the center of Ichigo's chest. Just as soon as it started, it stopped, leaving a perfect circular hole in his chest, clean for a split second before blood started gushing out of it.

Orihime was in shock first, but as Ulquorria carelessly threw the body towards them, she screamed. It was full of loss, anger, disbelief, and unbelievable pain. Just as the body was a few feet from the ground, Orihime started running towards him while sending out her shield to gently catch the body.

Dante was now fully healed and though he knew what happened here was destined to always happen, it didn't stop the anger and rage he felt as he got to his feet, a dull roar in his ears while blood was thundering through his head. He didn't notice something in his mind shift, becoming darker. All that mattered was Ulquorria. And making him pay, no matter what.

Orihime was almost to Ichigo, tears pouring down her face when Ulquorria appeared in front of her. She stopped, looking at him in fear.

"Even your powers can not heal that wound. Accept it. He is gone."  
Orihime's tears started pouring harder down here face as she shook her head.

"Get...away...from her."

Everyone paused, then turned to Dante. He was on his feet, fists clenching and shaking with his entire body while a black flame like aura was beginning to form around him.

"Get the fuck away from her!" Dante shouted, raising his head. His eyes were black and golden again, but this time the hollowfication was farther along, because a third of his face was covered, with a hollow mask.

The third of the mask was intricately designed, some sort of spirals in both black and blood red around the eye hole forming, while the bottom of it near the mouth area had fang like teeth slowly taking shape.

Dante rose both arms, a combonation of red and blue electricity sparking along both of them as he started firing electric missiles at Ulquorria. He dodged with ease and they all missed, until Dante's hands started glowing red and a portal opened, swallowing them up. Ulquorria frowned. The hybrid's arms were still sparking with electrical bolts, but he was using his portal powers? He had never showed this power before.

Dante's hands glowed green but this time, instead of one portal, several opened up, all around the pale espada, all sides and above. The missiles came from every side, but one more surprised happened. They each split into 3 and stuck to Ulquorria, covering his entire body in them before they exploded like firecrackers, covering him in a cloud of dusts, debries, and electrical discharge. But he didn't let up. Dante sonido'od behind him while he was unaware and channeled the Ghost Rider's flames into his right palm, causing the skin to melt and form the skelatal hand. He then slashed across the pale back in front of him, opening 4 deep and cautirized slashes across the back. Ulquorria grunted in pain and tried to knock him away with his tail. Dante ducked underneath and drew his blade, slashing upwards and cutting the tail off with ease.

A wild happy laugh escaped from Dante's mouth as some blood came from the several wounds and shouted, in his hollows voice, **"So you can bleed? Let's see if you can scream."**

Dante stopped using his Ghost Rider powers, his hand going to normal, and plunged it into the hole in Ulquorria's chest and created a electric grenade, but this one was a mixture of blue and red, and much larger, large enough to completely occupy the hole. Dante vanished as he grenade went off, but not just an explosion. And electrical storm exploded from the grenade, surrounding him with a dome of electricity that sparked just like natural lightning before it collapsed in and exploded in a shockwave, knocking Uryu and Orihime off their feet from 20 feet away while Ulquorria shouted in absolute pain from the power.  
Dante, or rather his hollow, laughed, the mask now covering half his face. He said with satisfaction, _"And this is what I have been missing. Maybe now I'll..."_

_'Leave!'_

The next thing he knew, Dante's hand was on the forming edge and ripping it off. The hollow seemed shocked before he grabbed the hand with his other one trying to stop it.

**"What the fuck?! What's going on!?"**

_'Get back into my head!'_

A battle between the two minds took place between the two, but it didn't take long before Dante had managed to push the hollow back into his head, ripping off the mask to finish it off. Dante now stood hunched over, panting.  
Ulquorria stood up from the ground, wounded severally as he forced out, "Looks like you have a little secret of your own. But it cost you much didn't it?"

"Yeah, but you took some heavy hits. Doesn't matter does it, not with the high speed regeneration you have."

"Correct." Ulquorrria replied as his wounds started closing up rapidly until he was unblemished.

Dante then straighted himself out and dig his hand through his pocket. He then pulled out a small white bag and pulled out a red piece of candy. After popping it in his mouth, he then let out a small chuckle.

"What is so amusing?" The pale faced Espada asked. "Does it amuse you that these are your final moments alive?"

He shook his head. "No it's just that I realized that I'm not the one whose suppose to give you an ass kicking. He is." He jerked a thumb to the side.

Ulquirroa rose an eyebrow until he felt a unusual spirit pressure, coming from...where he had dropped Ichigo's body. He looked to see Ichigo, standing up. But he had a new form.

Ichigo had long straight hair, reaching down to his waist, and a Hollow hole, smaller than his previous one, decorated with markings stretching from the hole across his chest and shoulders. He had white claws on his fingertips and toes, small, furry red tufts, two starting from his collarbone and stretching around his neck and one each on his wrists and ankles, and white only that, he had a different Hollow mask. It covered Ichigo's entire head, and its markings were different, for it hadfour spike-shaped marks, two of them stopping by the forehead and the other two stretching past the eyes and teeth, going past his chin and joining with the marks on his chest. There were small marks resembling a heart, but with the top and bottom open, extending from the inner corners of his eyes. The mask featured two long forward-pointing horns, with black strips extending from their center towards the tips.

Dante then sondio'd over to Orihime and placed himself and her next to Uryu.

"What's happened to him?" Orihime asked in a shaky voice.

"Change my dear." Dante replied. "And not a moment to soon."


End file.
